Bastion
by patattack750
Summary: Everyone knows that there are four hunter academies in Remnant right? Well that's not entirely true. You see there are acutely five hunter academies in remnant, Shade, Beacon, Haven, Atlas academy and Bastion. Now you've r heard of Bastion for a good reason. You never, under any and all circumstances want to go there. But that's just were a reaper and a knight are sentenced to die.
1. Prolouge

BASTION

I own nothing all rights reserved. as always reviews are welcomed. Here it is! Ripped straight form my archive of our own account. You can thank Frank Horrigan who's insistent whining and nagging about killing white fang and white phosphors led to me finally posting this story. Here's to you frank you crazy bastard you.

* * *

"Good news or bad news?" The man asked HE was a tall med dressed in grey over coasts that covered his entire body as he shuffled a intermediate stack of papers in front of him. A low sigh broke his voice as he went through the stack of dead plants. With a weary voice came the response came in front of him as the boy looked up from the bland stack of white in front of him. As the man started at the person sitting opposite of him in the room.

"Give me the good news first…" The other occupant of the room said to him. He was a wiry young man with scraggly yellow hair and crystal blue eyes. "Can you tell me the good news?" He asked his azure eyes staring hard into the grey table, not meeting the man in front of him

"Well" he said shuffling the papers, for a time before answering him, "the _good_ news is you're trial is over an- And!?" His voice nearly rang out in excitement, "you are going to be _executed_. "What?!" He yelped his eyes shook in surprise and shock as a tick formed in his arms. "That can't be!" He shouted before slamming his hand into the table. There has to be some mistake!" He yelled as his voice echoed in the tiny room they occupied. As his blue eyes shone in panic.

His eyes darted back and forth like ping pong balls as he processed the situation he was now in." Mistake?" The man answered sounding confused and worried at the same time. " Let me see." He said as he began shuffling through his paper. " Are you one Jaune Arc?" "yes." Jaune replied looking the man dead in the face as he did. " then ther is no mistake!" He said happily as he looked to him. " I have two orders for execution and one is for you!" " A Jaune Arc of Beacon."

"I.." I can't" his voice was barely above a whisper as he took his head to his palms. "Sorry kid." He said as he reshuffled the papers for the uptienth time. The boy in front of him tried to speak but each time word tired to form it was brought down by a wave of tittering sounds. His voice was cracking and his head was pressed into his palms. As he ran his fingers through his wiry blonde hair. The other stared to him sympathetically as the dim light continued to hum.

The fluorescent bulbs above their heads continued to hum and to fill the room with a dull _VIRM_ sound, giving of a dim hum as it worked, a change in the nature of the hum set their teeth on edge. As he shook the file of papers as he filled out the forms.

"Wait!" The kid shouted some energy returning to his exhausted form, "what about Ruby!?" The boy demanded blue eyes hardening. Gone was the dissolute tones and posture of his formed self. Now the boy looked stalwart and ready to take on the world. "What's going to happen to her!?" He yelled his hands were off of his head and now balled tightly onto the table as he slammed them down hard.

"What's going to happen to her!?" "Is she." "Ruby rose?" The man asked him taking a look back down to his papers. "Yes her!" The blonde boy demanded "What's going to happen to Ruby!?" "She's going to be executed too." " I do have two order after all and only one was for you." He said evenly staring him in the eyes. As the message hit Jaune fell back into his chair. _"That's not fair…"_

His voice broke for the third time this night, as he tried to comprehend his situation. "She didn't do anything!" "Why is she being killed!?" "I- you guys killed a Vacuoan prince," he said calmly as he looked to the disturbed blonde. "What did you think was going to happen?"

He asked curiously, as he stared down at he blond in front of him. I mean did they think they'd get no reprisals for their actions?

"We didn't meant to…" "did you?" He asked before finally letting a smirk one his lips. As the blonde admitted no… His head was once again firmly into his palms the dull humming of the light now filled the interrogation chamber as the dull hum set his mouth on edge. The color bland grayness if the floor seemed to sting their senses while the light turned on it's humming at low frequency.

"What's the good news then?" He asked desperate for some good news in his life. What was left of it anyways that is.

He stared down the boy glaring at his sea blue eyes, "you get die together." He said with a smirk. Earning him a hard look as the kid glared bloody daggers to him while the man merely smirked.

"Why are you so chipper?" He asked angrily "last time i checked you're one the same boat as the rest of us!"

As he pointed a accusing digit to his face the man let a sneer form on his mouth, as he set his face in a grimace, "Well that's true by it self but you see..." he said with a wolfish smile that made Jaune shiver to his spine, "unlike you i was already on the chopping block to begin with…"

"Do you not want to die?" He asked with a even look, "of course not!" He yelled slamming his fists violently on the table. His fist were shaking and there was no doubt with what was either fear fueled anger. Or anger fueled fear. Either or. As he shook violently at him.

"I don't want to die!" "I want to go back to with my friends! "I want to live my life!"He yelled as tears started to flow down his cheeks.

"Well that's going to be a bit difficult if you get executed you know?"

"Of course I know!" He snarled, at him, "you think i don't know how hopeless my current issues are!?"

As he yelled his body was quaking in nervous energy. Like a spring ready to break as he tried to calm down. "Do you want to live?" "I do." His reply was quick and decisive "i do not want to die." His eyes were level and hard no longer soft and light.

As he spoke "good," said the man as he stood up "as long as you don't want to die, then... "As long as i don't want to die?" The blonde knight growled. As a thin smile formed on his opposite, "as long as you want to live, then I can help you…"

* * *

"Bacon, pancakes, sausages, and... potatoes?" He asked aloud as there was a virtual buffet in front of him.

The boy had ordered all his favorites a wide variety of platters laid in front of him. Pounds upon pounds of bacon with rich goblets of fat that hung lazily from their ends. While huge servings of pancakes filled with syrup hung belatedly over the side, combined with row upon row of sausages, biscuits and other breakfast food.

It was meal for the end. " _Fitting_ " a voice from his left said. " _You think he enjoys it_?" The voice asked the other as they watched him eat. " _Judging by the way he's shoveling food into his mouth, i take that as a yes."_

As they watched him eat. _"How's the other doing?"_ The secong voice asked the first as it looked to the nest vid monitor, _"Ok"_ He said as he turned to see a separate panel housed his counterpart, a young girl in black red outfit.

For her last meal she had requested cookies? He started perplexed at the rolling information on the scroll. Of all the things? And had then been delivered a completely absurd amount of the treats. It was apparently her favorite food and it was nearly comical how much she tried to eat at once.

Desperately shoving in mouth after mouth, shoving treats hand over first into her yawning maw. In a desperate play to chip into the mountain one of sweets in front of her.

She at least seemed to be enjoying things, although even a cursory glance into her silver eyes were filled with fear and looked on in doubt.

"You think we can use him?" The voice asked to the left of him in a decisively neutral tone. " _Maybe_ " he replied eyeing the young girl, _"what about the girl?"_

He asked giving another cursory glance to the assault on the the treats, _"You think she's going to be helpful?"_

 _"Doubtful"_ said the second voice in a neutral tone _"she won't be able to handle what we have in store." "There's no need for her only him."_ It said as it turned away. The other voice sighed, before speaking _"I don't think it will be a good idea to separate them," "from what i've seen I think they are packaged deal." Said the first as he watched them eat. "We only need one."_ Said the second in a dispassionate tone that spoke of rising irritant. As it briefly stopped its departure " _unless you disagree?"_

 _"I do"_ He said as he watched them enjoying their last meal _"I don't think we should separate them." Don't tell me this is another one of your feelings again is it?_ The second asked the first getting nothing but silence in return.

A resigned sigh escaped the first one as it conceded the point to her partner.

 _"Fine"_ said the voice " _I'll leave it to you"_ It said in an exasperated tone as it turned and left..

* * *

The meal was supposed to be delicious but to Jaune it tasted nothing but ash...

As he pushed another long strand of bacon in front of him the glistening fat shone radiantly in the ultraviolet light. How did this happen?

He thought as he methodically pummeled his food into an unrecognizable pile in front of him.

He remember the rash of bad and poorly thought out decisions that led him to where h was today. It had started out simple enough two team leaders sent on diplomatic mission to Vacuo the land in the west. It was all an intrenational potic play to strengthen bonds betweent he kingdomn after all.

Juan and Ruby would entertain and escort a Vacuoan Prince and they would get a five star royalty treatment in return. It was a simple and fool proof mission with no margin for error. In fact it all went well things were going perfectly fine until he and Ruby well mainly Ruby, had decided to take the prince they were visiting out for some _field work_ as Ruby had so eloquently put.

Juane hated his lack of back bone. He should have said something then! he should have stood up and _demanded_ that HE and Ruby keep the prince indoors at all times. But he didn't... He was still to insecure about his role as a leader even with all the improvements he had made. And he _had_ been improving in leaps and strides he still thought of Ruby as the better leader and in the end listed to her damning the both of them in the process..

She was smart for her age. An had been more than willing to safeguard the prince from all manners of danger! Through that fact had not saved them when the prince was ambushed with them by a pack of wild grim. Normally this would have been no problem pack of grim to trained hunters? Hell even two hunters in training?!

No issue what so ever. But factor in things like never before navigated terrain, strange and deadly different types of grim, add on a foreign land, and an extra person to watch? And you get a big problem too big in fact. One that landed them in the how water they are in now.

They had tried there best to guard the royalty but eventually he was fatally injured in the process and seeing him suffer was too much for the young reaper so she opted to end his suffering courtesy of a bullet to his skull. Jaune shuddered visibly at the memory. The dry dusty dessert heart, The panic induced hail marry of unlocking his Aura, that had all led up to the familiar sound of _Cresent Rose_ firing. BANG! It was supposed to be considered a mercy killing...

This meant little to the Vacuo authorities who arrived just in time to see Ruby put a shot though the young leader's head. After that they were promptly taken into custody and one three day trial that had taken place were they argued their innocence to no avail.

The jury had been decided from the start. And now we're going to die. He thought bitterly as he plopped another piece a plump bacon into his mouth expecting the fat to somewhat be tasty, to find only find ash…

* * *

 _It wasn't supposed to be like this!_ Ruby screamed to to herself as she put mound after glob of cookies into her mouth. We were just supposed to go hunting! How did things turn out like this?!

She thought internally as she bit into another cookie. _Help.. m- meee_ the shallow voice of the prince said as he was covered in thick sticky blood. The crimson stains ruined his other wise bland turban . As he started up longingly at her. His brown eyes were glazing over as he began to spit up blood. She couldn't take it anymore!

After seeing him tossed down and broken she had to end his suffering. and without a second thought she put a round in his head. Not long after the authorities arrived and they were taken into custody.

How did things get so bad? she wondered as she popped another handful of cookies into her mouth. I hope this all works out, "I wonder what Jaune is doing?" She asked no one in particular as he bit into another cookie tasting the iron after scent…

* * *

"Attention!" The bellowing voice of a large man shouted out in a large circular room. It was a large room had a long grey oval floors and long circular glass top. In the middle of the room there were four snow white pillars that were erected in the room all longer then half story and incredibly thin.

"Bring the prisoners out!" He Bellowed as four figures came from the back of the dome. They were all blindfolded, and had aura suppressors on their arms to make the proceedings go over smoothly. All led by a single ward, an all clad in pure white, the first looked absolutely unperturbed at his predicament calmly walking forward unruly black hair flowed freely as he calmly walked in.

The next a tall lanky knight of some type followed to. He at least looked like he understood the gravity of their situation and looked close to panic. As his eyes roamed the room his arms had developed a nervous tick. And it was probably all he could do to not start shaking in the he kept his head upright as he was marched forward .

The third prisoner was much less composed. A fact made overtly clear by the shaking short girl with red black hair. She walked in absolutely terrified. Her entire body shook as if it was filled with a live circuit. As her entire thin frame shook visibly she desperately looked around the room. "Jaune?!" "Jaune!?" She called out not knowing where to look "Jaune where are you!?" "I'm right here Ruby!" he said in an resolute but certain tone. As his voice carried throughout the room "Jaune!" She called in relief "i can't see you!" As she struggled in her restraints. "It's ok Ruby.' he said in his calming voice "it's all going to be all right."

As they walk in the fourth prisoner came in completely out of line with her fellows. Unlike the first three who at least had the courtesy to put one the air of distrust to their current predicament this one who shattered the norm by simply walking in sashaying her thin hips, with an pop smile plastered on her face, she nearly skipped as if she had nary a care in the world. As the guard lead her in her long white hair and paper colored skin seem almost to blend in with her dull white uniform.

The prisoners wore all matching uniforms of milky color and they were all blindfolded. As the marched into the center of the room they had their hands cuffed to the back of the four metal posts.

'Jaune Arc!" The lead guard yelled as he tuned to the blonde who gave a nervous glance before remaining silent. "Jaune ARC!" The guard bellowed again yelling at the knight. "Here?" The blond answered nervously still not sure how to respond to the man's question. "Ruby Rose!" "Present!" The reaper began before launching into a desperate apology. "I'm so, so sorry!" " Please forgive me!" I- Kage The guard interrupted Ruby leaving her silent and crest fallen as her legs finally gave way and began to shake in fear. grr… the man in front growled, "Mika Smith!" He asked turning to the last prisoner who was currently in the middle of humming a tun and smiling wildly. "Present!"

"You have all been charged with high treason against the kingdom of Vacuo," " After a trial by your peers you were all found guilty and your punishment is death!"

"As of twelve hundred hours ago you're sentence was decided and your last meal was prepared and delivered." "You will now be delivered to your post and sentencing will be carried out!" He barked as their cuffs were secured. As they were all put on individual white poles the matched the pure with room and their pure white suits.

As they were handcuffed to their poles a man walked to the surrounding inmates offering them a thin white stick. "Cigarette?" The man asked he offed the slim stick to the blonde inmate Arc. "no thanks-" Jaune replied he was never a smoker and did not see why dying would change- "gak!" he coughed as a foreign foul tasting thing entered his tongue he gaged as a lit cigarette was put in his mouth as soon as he opened it as the man walked over repeating the process to the rest of the inmates before returning to his post next to the warden.

"In the name of Vacuo and all their dominion!" "Jaune!" Ruby yelled as the situation finally became too mcuh for the young girl as her bodily tremors doubled in power and force,"Ruby." "Jaune!" She yelled now openly sobbing large wet tears fell from her cheeks as she cried, gobs of snot impacted her ability to breathe right making her begin to choke on her own snot. he felt a pit of guilt in his stomach, the man at the far end of their column spoke up "don't let them see you cry..."

As the man in form of them continued to speak, "You have been found wanting!" "Jaune!" The girl could no longer contain herself and broke down in sobs wailing on about wanting to go home. She broke mumbling names of people and places he could only guess were her friends and family, some he never met . SHE mutter full apologies of letting them down by failing to be a proper huntress, as her cries were blocked and muffled by snot fill tears and chocked back sobs he heard the names, Weiss, Yang, Summer, Auntie Raven... Ruby… "You will now be executed in the name of the law!" "Officers!" He yelled as an line of men appeared from nowhere all carrying stubby shaped rifles fell into perfect sync "Aim!"

"Jaune!" Ruby Yelled finally trying to latch onto something in the room.

"Set!" The man in front yelled as the four wardens raised their weapons.

"Ruby. i'm Jaune!" "Sor- fire!" In one second the room was filled with guns fire as the firing squad opened up filing the inmates with flashes of yellow light.. Gouts of scarlet came out of them as their bodies jerked back and spasmed in unnatural angles as they fell backwards into the pit behind them there sentencing carried out…

* * *

Jaune had expected blackness to over claim him as the first flare had hit him, he had been expecting a quick and swift journey to the afterlife not.. This.. As he looked up to see himself surrounded in darkness where am i? He thought as he saw a dim light approach him. Is this the afterlife? He wondered aloud as the dim light grew ever closer. Did i make it to the good ending? Do I… he never finished that thought as a rough hand grabbed him and ripped him from where he was. "Grim reaper?!" He barked instantly as he shot up body shaking in fear as he did, "nope but you'll wish i was."

Said the voice in front of him as he adjusted his eyesight, he was surprised to say the absolute least to see the other boy form the prisoner execution detail, as he stared at the other inmate "what are you doing here?!"

He asked his voice full of confusion "I thought we were supposed to be dead!" Jaune yelled to the boy who give i'm a wiry smile in return."Trust me" said the boy as his face turned in a feral snarl after he spoke. "When we're done with you you'll wish you were…"


	2. Pillar one Bohemian Rhapsody

Two

Bohemian Rhapsody

"Where am I!?" "Who are you?!" Jaune asked desperately trying to put two and two together. The last thing he remembered was being led out into the chamber then the firing squad- "am I dead!?" He shouted dramatically before patting down his body. "You're not dead," said the boy as he shot out a hand to him "but you'll wish you were soon enough now come on!"

The boy in front of him proclaimed before extending a hand to him. "Who are you?" Jaune asked as he took the stranger's hand. He was a boy about his age around similar height, with light brown skin unruly black hair that looked akin to a bedraggled mop and brown eyes. Kage, Venke. The boy said as Jaune got his first good look at him he wore a light white shirt and fitting black pants as he helped him up.

He replied hoisting Him up by the arm "Jaune Arc." Jaune said reaffirming the greeting as good manners dictated he do. Even in the worst situation manners are imperative! Or so he was taught.

"Where is'- "come on kid." Kage interrupted shaking his head at his questions "we'll get all our answers over there." He said gesturing at the end of a long dark hallway as he shook his head into that direction 'let's get going."

As the two young men made their way in awkward silence down the hallway. Kage had been unceremoniously shooting down each and every attempt Juane made at communication. Where are we- you'll see when we get there. Kage replied as they neared what appeared to be a giant metal bulkhead. "Why are we even still alive?" "Once again." The boy said as they reach the door. "We are alive because someone hasn't told us to die."

Kage said before putting a hand on the bulkhead and "trust me that may sound good now but just wait you'll be wishing you bleed out in the desert by the end of this trust me."

As he grabbed the bulkhead one thought enter Jaunes mind "Ruby!" He yelled suddenly causing Kage to glower at him.

A thousand emotions came to his mind as he struggled to come to terms with them. At the tip of this emotional landslide was his concern for his friend. "Where is Rub-" "she's over here."

Kage said calmly as he spun the bulkhead open it jolted free with a loud creaking sound revealing another dank chamber with two familiar figures in it.

"Jaune!?" Ruby yelled as she immediately shot up from her talk with the other girl from the firing squad and tackled him in a fierce hug. "Jaune!" She yelled as he launched straight into a death grip on the boy "I'm so glad you're alive!" "They told me you'd be ok but i didn't believe them!" She said her silver eyes burned bright with tears and sadness. "I'm ok Ruby," he said returning thug with just as much enthusiasm I'm- "who's your new friend?!"

Nora? Jaune thought before he struck the thought from his mind. Nora was probably shuffled into her bed crying her eyes out right now... Although that voice sounded eerily like her own. As Jaune reluctantly turned his head to the direction that the bright bubbly voice called out from her life. As Jaune looked to see the other girl from the firing line. She was tall with paper white skin and long silver hair that went down to her ankles. She was clad in an assortment of what appeared to be furs and hides? All of them perfectly over riding each other in a lavish display of fashion.

* * *

"Oh"! Ruby said nervously as she looked at the strange girl with light green eyes and paper white skin. "Jaune this is my new…" Ruby paused for minute as she struggled to find a word. "Acquaintance," she said carefully enunciating each syllable "Mika Smith." Subtlety this is Ruby Rose clearly the two of you have never met. Jaune thought as he sighed inwardly at his friend's behavior. "Oh, you don't have to be so shy!"

Mika said cheerfully as she dropped arm across Ruby's shoulder in a friendly manner "were friends already aren't we?" "Well, I Mean we just met an…" Ruby drawled on not noticing how Mika's eyes suddenly grew large and lost all color. "Ruby…" Miks said as her voice lost all forms of cheeriness and joy. "We are friends…" "right?"

She said in an odd toneless voice as her head cocked at an unnatural angle causing Ruby to stutter, as she did Jaune noticed Kage who was until then hanging back in the conversation was now tense as his hands went to his waist. His eyes narrowed on the girls as he held his breath

Seeing the Tension Jaune went for his sword which was gracefully still at his side at the time slightly withdrawing it before returning his attention to the girls.

"I mean yes?" Ruby answered hesitantly as Mika stared at her for a couple of the longest second of his life before her eyes regain their color. "OK!" She said suddenly as her bubbly personality reasserts itself as he gave a small jump before clapping her hands. "We're friends!" "We're friends!" "Did you see that Kage!? I made a new friend!"

She asked happily jumping to the man "I made a new friend!" "Yeah, I saw…" Kage said calmly as he scratched the back of his head with one hand as she continued to jump sang happily while Ruby laughed nervously at her side.

"That was close…" Kage said as he visibly relaxed his hands coming up from his sides. Jaune said as he finally took note of the things hanging from his belt on the side of his pants holstered two absolutely massive pistols that dwarfed most assault weapons in size.

As he looked up he finally notices of the elephant in the room. He saw Mika jumping while her furs shifted to reveal a large metal collar around her neck. What the hell? He thought as he turned his face to see a similar one on Kage's neck and even on Ruby's! The hell? He thought as he lifted a tenuous hand to his neck upon reaching he felt a familiar bulk on his own how did I not notice this?!

Jaune thought as he gripped the collar tightly. What are theses things?! He yelled as he attempted to rip them off. "Their insurance policies." Kage said as he put a hand on Jaune's arm 'I Wouldn't do that if I were you." He said trying to stop the blonde from making a costly mistake, "they don't like it when you mess with their toys."

"I don't care if-" "All right you miserable bastards!' A booming voice yelled as the entire room tuned to the form revealing a tall woman standing in an open bulkhead "line up!" She said as she stalked to the center of the corridor.

As she walked Jaune noticed that despite his earlier observations they were not alone in the room, in fact, there were about twelve other people in the corridor all in similar milky colored outfits as they had at their execution ceremony as them as they all huddled around the loud woman.

As the group all gather round the woman Jaune got his first good look at her. She was tall. Well over a foot taller than him with long flowing purple hair and matching eyes. Her skin was lightly tanned and her glare could easily cut bones. As she eyed the room her entire body was like a solid muscle her biceps alone were already larger than his head and her entire body resembles a coiled spring ready to snap.

"Alright, you little shits listen up!" She said in an authoritarian tone. "I'm only going to say this once, none of you want to be here and I don't want you here!" "On that, we can agree on something", she paused taking a deep breath before speaking "you do not belong here!"

Hearing this Jaune's heart soared maybe had found an ally? Someone who could help him out of his situation and- 'if it was up to me you would all be six feet under!" She said crushing any hope of a new found ally. "You are only here because the higher ups have decided that you all possess talent and that I quote." " Too valuable to waste".

"Basically you all have something that others see as important or valuable." "They think you are special." She said emphasizing how special she thought they really were as she walked past the sitting form of ruby as her purple eyes stared at her silver ones. "Well, most of you anyway." She said eyeing the young girl down making her shiver under her calculating gaze. Jaune instinctively rose to protect her but a firm hand Form Kage held him down. "Some of you are just a packaged deal." She said glaring at Kage making him simply shrug as if to say it happens…

"Listen up!" She said her tone cutting clean through the room you have all been given one shot at redemption! As she spoke a white holographic sign appeared behind her. "Despite your egregious crime against the state those above have offered you one last chance to atone for those sins!" "You will all be partaking in a mission to rescue a certain individual in this city." She said as she spoke a large gray icon displayed the hologram.

Several members of the group stirred but none dared speak, "in case any of you are incredibly dull or severely visually impaired you might have noticed the large metal collars on your neck." She said gesturing to her own naked throat. Jaune tensed as he felt his hands over the collar on his own neck. "They are there to make sure you don't do anything incredibly stupid." As she pointed to the screen and display showed up with the collar on it. "Each color s approximately two pounds in weight water proof, rust proof pressure slash heat resistant and incredibly durable."

As she pointed to the screen "they are there to ensure your continued loyalty and obedience in this coming operation.' How are these things going to make us obedient? Jaune thought as he felt his own collar as if reading his mind the woman spoke, "they all have a miniature explosive charge in them if you disobey me I will kill you."

She said with deep finality. Jaune froze hands gripping his jeans for his life while Ruby paled her eyes growing wider than saucers and the entire group felt like it was deaf.

"If you disobey me you will die." "If you question my leadership for any reason you will die." "If you speak without permission…" she let the question hang in the air 'we die? Said a pale faced youth next to Jaune.

He was skinny with pale skin messy hair and white teeth, "that's right" the lady said as she eyed him with a glint of curiosity "what's your name?" "Sammy," he replied staring her down with his black eyes "thanks, Sammy!" She said as she pressed a button on her scroll a mechanical Click! Splat the room was followed by a SPLAT! A loud splatting filled the air as the boy's head vanished in a terrifying display of blood and flesh as his body dropped like a sack of bricks " _but I wasn't asking you…"_

* * *

Jaune froze in horror as his face was splattered with blood and viscera as the headless body dropped with a heavy thud! To the ground bright red blood spraying freely from the hole in his neck. Blood flowed freely from the body as it plastered the entire first row with offal.

As He tasted the horrible iron taste of iron in his he attempted to wipe some of the viscera from his lips. She killed him?! Jaune was nearing a manic level of fear as he shook violently his hand gripped into his jeans as a piece of skull fell onto his lap. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Kage grab Ruby from the side and put a hand over her mouth preventing her from screaming along as he grimaced externally.

"Now any more interruptions before I go on?" The woman asked as the kids sat in shocked silence at the sudden and brutal l death of their fellow "none?" "Good!"

'Now here's the plan…"

"You are going to embark on a mission that many _myself_ included deem to be suicide." "You See there's an abandoned old world city here!" She said pointing to the map showing a brown icon representing a large circle showing a metropolitan area an old world city. "This here is a lost city above abandoned over millennia ago."

"The city itself aside from crawling with Grim is of no importance but!" What is important is the research being conducted there." Research that was critical to our origination's success!" Organizations? Jaune thought as the woman spoke isn't she an operative for Vacuo?

"Now you see there was always Grimm in this area but they recently took on a whole nother level of activity in recent days." She said pointing to the screen as a graph showed up as it displayed the rise in Grimm activity the amount of Grimm was increased ten fold the normal and we have since lost contact with our research team as they were presumably overwhelmed contact was lost three days ago.

"Now normally the loss of a single research team is no consequence research like this carry implied risks." "Death by Grimm is one of the _said risks."_ "But! This research team was _special so to say."_ Special how? Jaune thought as the woman spoke.

"You see usually when we lose a base like this it is of little matter." There she goes saying we again! Jaune thought as she continued to speak if she worked for Vacuo why not just say that she works for Vacuo?

"This research was… Valuable." "It was incredibly specific to our goals as an organization and such while the loss of it is not critical it would still be unfortunate. And the increase of Grimm has made it so that it is too risky to send in any normal personnel."

"This is where you come in." she said eyed the group with a wolf like a grin that sent a cold shiver down Jaunes spine, 'you are not normal personnel." "You are a unique opportunity in how you are expendable to the extreme and especially talented you will be used tonight."

"We will infiltrate this city and find the researchers last know location."

"Our goal is to extract our coordinator alive. If that can not be achieved or the mission becomes unachievable we will extract ourselves here! "She said pointing to a spot on the map, should you all follow my instructions and heed my word all of your previous crimes will be pardoned forever and you will go back to the academy."

"Do I make myself clear?" She asked making it abundantly clear that she was asking this time around. "Mam yes, Mam! "The group replied causing her to grin wickedly "excellent…."

* * *

Bullhead

Unknown location.

High altitude approach…

"You alright?" Jaune asked the quaking Ruby she did not look well. Her eyes were wider than he had ever seen before as her body violently trembled as her knuckles were pure white as she gripped the hem of her skirt in a death grip. She looked purely catatonic.

Her body was a mess shaking and shiver as if someone had put a live circuit inside of her and let in run free. "Why…" she finally spoke her voice was barely above a whisper "why did she kill him?" Her voice was barely above a whisper as she clung to Juane he doesn't deserve to die… he didn't deserve to die!"

"Keep your voice down"! Kage harshly hissed from the side his immaculately crafted gargantuan pistols resting on his lap one in each hand as he performed maintenance on them he had changed from his previous shirt and black pants into brilliant red combat Armour, a plate mail style of violent crimson, "do you wanna be heard?" He asked as he cleaned the barrels

Jaune felt his blood boil at the dismissal and instinctively wanted to tell him off instantly but the memory of him covering Ruby's mouth held his tongue. He had tried to help ruby back matter what he was a friend…

"Are you guys as excited as I am!?" The bubbly voice of Mika sang from the left as she cradled her own weapon. A Small tube like weapon that seemed to be a cone connected to a nozzle of some sorts as she shook back energetically. "I can't believe we get to go on a mission!"

Her voice was full of happiness and excitement in a complete contrast to the situation. Just like in the firing chamber. She was happy and lackadaisical to the extreme as she rested her weapon on her furs Jaune took notice of the elongated hatched that now hung loosely from her waist.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked speaking to him directly for the first time since the meeting are we going to be ok? Her voice trembles like a mouse trying to speak of course we are. He said putting on his best fearless leader as Nora called it pose. As he gently patted her head his gloved hand running through her black and red hair gently feeling the softness of her head in slow reverse clockwise motions and eventually getting able to calm the girl.

Her fingertips dug into his side seeking what little protection he could provide Jaune. "I'm scared.." Her voice was now quaking and threatened to break into tears. Shh.. he said running his hand through her head, she was so soft..

He thought as he firmly pressed his hands into her hair were going to be ok."How do you know that?!" She half squeaked half yelled at him as her eyes close to the point of tears.

Were convicted murderers, that half the world thinks we were executed and now were being sent on some type of suicide mission in the middle of nowhere! How can you say we're going to be ok?!

"Because it's all we have. Jaune said firmly never once stopping the petting of her head. We have each other to look out for an I for one am not going to let nothing happen to you this I give my word."

"And an Arc never goes back on his word I know." Ruby said tiredly as she dug into his body her small fingers imprinting themselves on his sides I know… she said as she forced herself into him. Let's talk, Ruby said tun up to him about what? Jaune replied as the ship was buffeted by the wind about anything. Just to get my mind off of this.

"What about your team? My team was awesome!" Ruby said instantly flipping to cheerful mode. We are doing awesome! We finally got our team dynamic down! Blake and Yang are going tit for tat. And even Wess was giving me a chance to be a leader!"

At the mention of her friends, her face dropped suddenly. And with me go now I guess she is our new leader.

As she spoke a depreciating smile came to Ruby's face. I guess she got to be leader after all huh? It's probably for the best..." "Don't think like that." He said as he rubbed his hand on her head no one is taking your spot. But what about, no buts. He said firmly we are going to go back to Beacon alive." "What about your team?" Ruby asked suddenly how are they going?

"Well, Jaune blushed as he cupped a hand to his face I started dating Phyrra... What?! Ruby said excitedly Finally! She said knocking a hand to his face for how long? Two Weeks he said fighting a small blush but we want to keep it private you know?" "Yeah, I know Ruby said happily the bull head buffeted back and forth."

"I hope she still wants to be with me when we get back." "Why wouldn't she?:! Ruby scoffed in an adorable fashion, I bet she's waiting for you in your dorm with open arms and a bowl of cereal!"

And just like that fhe tense atmosphere was gone as the two friends talked and reminisced about their Beacon life. They learned about each other in those brief minutes, Ruby learned to her horror about his seven older sisters which made her thank her stars she only had one.

And sometimes that was too much! In return, he learned about Ruby's… unique home life. Apparently, she not only had one father but Ruby also had two moms. "It's complicated…" Ruby said giving her best don't worry grin, "but since they both love me and treat me as their own it's ok."

"I'm sure they are worried about me... "Ruy said as her face paled again. Seeing his chance Jaune took it. "I'm sure they're searching for us even as we speak!" Jaune said in his best confident voice. Causing Ruby's eyes or shine "you meant it?" "Of course I- _don't count on it."_

The gruff voice of the commander spoke from the back of the bull head where she was strapped in alone in a tan combat attire, "your execution was broadcasted live on all televisions, scroll sets. Everyone you know thinks you're dead so don't count on a rescue ok?"

She said bluntly before closing her eyes her long purple hair swayed over her head as she returned to rest. "They think I'm dead." Ruby nearly began to shake again harder as Jaune steadied her quaking body, "hush Ruby."

He whispered quietly in her ear as he gently petted her head. "We're going to make it out of her alive and you're going to see our family against this I swear." As he talked his voice was steady and steadfast, gone were the days on Jaune the incompetent now he was a true leader who had set his mind on a goal. That he would either see completed or die in the process. "Thanks, Jaune. You really are a good leader."

Thanks, Rubes he said as they relaxed in each other's arms no problem Jaune she replied as the ship swayed…

"Thank's Jaune I- "Fit! Fit! Fit! Several tearing noises filled the cabin as the sound of shattered glass filled it followed quickly by the sound of whooshing air. As the gale force noises rose something wet and sticky hit Jaune dead in the face.

As he raised his arms to see a red a pink piece of goop on his head as he looked forwards to the sound of the whooshing air he saw the front of the bullheads glass was shattered and one pilot had their head blown out and apart of his skull was missing as grey matter hung loosely outside of the cavernous hole.

"Hold on!" The other pilot yelled as she struggled to regain control of the falling craft. The sound of whooshing air filled the cabin. As alarm bells and sirens began to wail a loud ringing BEOW! BEOW! Filled his ears. "This is going to get rough!"

The pilot yelled as she fought to keep them up right as the ground rushed to meet them. "Jaune?!" Ruby yelled as she held on to him. As the wind howled and roared deafened her cry's. "Hold on Ruby!" He yelled as a sudden wave of inertia forced itself on him it was so extreme it made him long for basic motion sickness.

As the craft began to spin in an awkward angle Jaune! Ruby yelled as the ship lurched and dipped. This is it! Kage yelled as he grabbed a guard rail. As he latched himself onto hanging on for dear life.

"Brace yourselves!" The commander yelled from the back of the craft as she strapped herself into her seat. "YEE HAWWWW!" Mika yelled ecstatically before turning to her _friend_ kage. "Kage what are you going to do when we go home? I want to get dinner with you! In fact, I want to eat cereal when we get back! How about we- " Mika if you don't calm down and hold on to something! We are all about to die!. Kage yelled as the ship neared the ground as the downing sirens and desperate crying of the passengers were suddenly deafened by the wailing sound of screaming metal….

* * *

Later on…

When Jaune woke up his vision was blurry and foggy, and there was a loud ringing sound in his ear. As he opened his eyes the soft sound of flames came into his ears. it was a vision ripped straight from a nightmare, there was fire every where surrounding him and a broken sky line loomed down on him. As he looked left and right his head hurt something fierce and his vision swam. Muddied by the concussive force of the crash landing.

As he struggled the next thing to hit him was nothing… silence the entire area was deadly quiet only the soft sound of licking flames reached his ears as they continued to burn freely of his will. The silence was good but it was also very, very bad for its own reasons.

Silence meant that no one was audibly in pain. And did not mean that people were not injured. Best case scenario people had escaped the crash unscathed unlikely he thought the entire bullhead had been ripped to pieces coming out of a crash like that unscathed was.. Rare as he tried to sit up big mistake.

"AHH!" He gasped as he felt agony stake his entire body. A mind numbing wave of suffering envelope him and threatened to take him out of consciousness.

Only by sheer determination did he hold on to the last vestiges of his consciousness as he forced his way up. His legs felt like stacks of jello and he was sure something internally was bleeding. Thank Oum for Aura he said through gritted teeth as he limped through the crash site.

Broken metal was everywhere. Twisted beyond recognition and warped beyond repair. Bright fires illuminated the night sky empathizing the ruined skyscrapers as he made his way through the crash site. "Ruby!" He yelled as he struggled to stay upright.

Brilliant flashes of agony flooded his vision he screamed aloud. The pain in his leg threatening to force him down for good. "Ruby where are you!?" He yelled as he walked through the rubble "Ruby!"

No answer "Kage!?" He shouted to the flames only to be greeted with silence. Kage!? Mika!? He shouted once again only the cool lapping of fire was his answer." Rub-" "Jaune!"

A familiar voice yelled as a red blur bored into him nearly taking them both down to the fires, as she hugged him making him cough a wad of violent spit "you're alive!" Ruby Yelled as she buried her face into his chest.

She's safe. Thank Oum. He thought grateful thank said as he looked up to see two figures behind her. "So you made it huh kid?" The familiar form of Kage said as his two pistols hung loosely at his side as he stared at the two Mika waved eagerly at them "Hey Ya Jaune!"

Mika said happily waving to him, "you didn't get pancaked by the crash!" She said with all the happiness of a certain sugar loving ginger, as she spoke though her happiness was the same as Nora something was off.

He had no idea what it was but something about the way she spoke just put him at the edge. Even though her personality seemed friendly enough to him it looked more like a shark that had just put its fin above the water… he didn't trust that one…

As he stared at her, "Are you ok!?" Ruby asked demandingly as he sliver eye glared into him as she inspected him for the slightest case of injury as she looked at him he saw himself or the first time in a split pool of engine oil. Ah damn, it... he thought as he saw his own reflection. He Looked like hell.

His Aura was nearly completely gone his scroll confirmed as much reading aura levels in the deep red, his armor was dented and cracked in several places and he had bruises that stretched the entirety of his face. Oum- "He'll live."

A gruff feminine voice called out as the commanding officer stepped out behind them "Boss!" Kage said as the woman stared at him "Kage." She replied gruffly before calling out "all alive say I!"

A chorus of groans was her answer "one, two, three..." She counted "that's six of us!" She yelled as she sat down on a twisted piece of metal in the crash site, as she ignored the red hotness of it either through massive amounts of aura or pure not giving a shit. "Ok maggots listen up! In case you haven't noticed things just got complicated!"

You think!? Jaune thoughts he looked to her since when did grim use anti air guns?! "It turns out we may have found out the reason for the grim's numbers increasing in the city!" She spoke clearly with the tone of one accustomed to giving orders and them being obeyed without question or hesitation.

What do you- Jaune thought as he was suddenly silenced. She pulled out a large white mask from behind her "White Fang…"

Ruby said quietly as he looked at the bloodied effigy of hatred and anger. "They must have been to ones to shoot us down!" "Good going Red!' The boss said ironically "gold star!"

"Remind me to pay them my respect when we meet them." The boss said as she stared at the idol before carelessly tossing it aside. However! We need to-AWWHOO! A blood chilling howl broke the night as the boss swore loudly." Alright, then maggots we got a fight on our hands!" She said as she gripped a small pistol "it's time to earn your keep ladies!"

She said as the howls of Grimm closed in. "Jaune stay close to me!" Ruby yelled as she took out Crescent Rose. "I'll protect you!" She said calmly her voice steely an indomitable what!? He glared at her as she tried to move but his injured legs wouldn't allow him the luxury.

Here they come! Ruby yelled as dark shapes began to appear on the outside of the crash before crashing through the flames looking fittingly like demons from hell as the fight was on...

BANG! BANG! BANG! Ruby shot three times and killed three Grimm each with one round alone. One shot one kill, as each round shot sent a roaring beast hurtling back into the flames every time as she aimed and fired, again and again without pause or rest.

As she fired into them she killed again and again but there were simply to many and some of the monsters got under her kill zone and closed in for melee.

Seeing his friend endangered and furious at his lack of ability Juane did the next best thing as to help her and shouted a warning. "Look out-" his warning was cut short as she ducked the Beowulf's outstretched claws before shifting her weapon into scythe mode as she began to hack and slash her way through the horde, with outlandish efficiency there was no wasted energy every motion was perfectly calculated and executed she was a scarlet blur of shining metal and rose petals and limbs. As she fought her way through the melee, why am I so useless?!

Jaune thought as he suddenly saw Kage run into the fight as an Ursa Major charged him. The Beast Bellowed a hideous roar as it began its charge. Kage simply stood there standing directly in it;s path looking almost bored? Jaune did not think it was possible to have a bored expression in combat but there he was. Venke looked at the charging abomination like it was a passing irritant as he simply lowered his pistol aimed before firing. There was a sound that broke the air as he pulled the trigger. CRACK!

The sound of thing discharging shook the valley as the pistol fired as a wave of fire erupted from it as an absolutely massive projectile was ejected from it.

The air seemed to lag around the gun as the projectile hung in mid flight for an obscenely long time in midair before suddenly igniting in a blinding display of heat before hurtling its way toward the Ursa Major.

The beast roared in defiance as it ran to meet the round head on. Two indomitable forces charged at one another one fueled by years, of endless physics and the best engineering Vacuo could buy the other by sheer hate and rage. It was a clash of the titans, An epic game of chicken between science and nature and only one side could prove the champion.

* * *

SPLAT! Jaune was dumbstruck as the round hit the bone armored head of the Ursa major straight on and rather than breaking the bone simply _caved_ under the monstrosity that was the shot as the head of the Ursa's head was actually _forced_ inward as the bone shuddered and snapped in such a brilliantly brutal manner, as its head was visibly forced inward into its body.

The force was so powerful that Ursa's charge was interrupted in mid air as the things neck was forced back into its' body before another long light filled the sky as a secondary explosion came from within the Grimm ripping the monster in two. The brutality of the force was so strong and so quick that the monster was torn clear in half as two rapidly disintegrating hunks of flesh flew to opposite sides of the battle.

Jaune looked dumbfounded as Kage merely turned his sights on another grim before firing again. Crack! WHOOSH!

Jaune never saw it coming and had zero time to prepare as the temperature suddenly roared into the unfathomably high degrees, A massive heat wave struck him sending his body instantly drenching it in sweat, it felt like he was in hell. As the temperature suddenly soared as an impossible amount of heat appeared behind him. The strong scent of ozone was all he got as a heads up.

As he turned he was shocked as a literal tower of white hot flames was enveloping the charging line of Grimm. As he looked on in horror as the Grimm give a cry of pain so powerful and so vivid that it would surely haunt his dreams. He watched in morbid fascination as the front line met the flames, as the poured into it everything from light lithe Beowulf's too massive and rumbling Ursa's.

As the smaller Grimm hit the flame wall they shook and shuddered as their skin popped and boiled as the flames ate them. Their bodies natural lightness proved to be no resistance to the flames as they were quickly and mercifully disintegrated in the inferno. They barely had a chance to howl before poof! they were gone, disintegrated as if they were never born. Or created or how ever the hell Grimm came into being.

While the lesser Grimm died quickly the larger ones held no such luck. As towering Ursa's roared into the flame their bone armor took the brunt of the fire but that proved to be a temporary relief. As they charged somehow the flames stuck into their fur fussing with it and becoming as much a part of them as their flesh itself. Eating and tearing into the soft vulnerable flesh underneath.

As their charge flattered the Ursa cried in roars of pain and anguish as their bodies shuddered and buckled in violent spasms as their weakened limbs began to snap under their bodies weight. Their muscles sloughed and drooled as the flame sank into them as their bodies were liquefied under the chemical fire.

Turning his head he was greeted by the grinning visage of Mika firing a large stream of flame from her weapon as she fired it indiscriminately into the Grimm line a manic grin split her face as her light green eyes became alight with what could only be described as pure happiness and joy…

As the battle progressed it became a flowing dance of death. Jaune watched in fascination as the outline Grim were easily and mercilessly cut down as Ruby slashed and hacked her way through them. He never saw her actual body just a blur of red and the scattering of limbs and the falling of rose petals were all that remained of her presence.

Following up Kage seemingly danced into the fight looking as bored and uninterested as ever, as he carefully placed his shots. His massive weapon reports still deafened the battlefield and even over half the fight away the sound still hurt his ears...as he fired each shot gained one kill as he vaulted over the fight seemingly ignoring the Beowulf's that hounded his tail, as he hunted for the largest enemies purposefully taking note to kill the larger Grimm first.

Meanwhile, Mika was seeming to have the time of her life from Jaune's point of view having the time of her she was able to vent her frustrations on wave after wave of Grimm.

As she set up towing walls of white hot infernos seemingly hell bent on burning any Grimm foolish enough or unlucky enough to get caught within them to smoldering ash.

Any that braved the inferno never made it far as the towering wall of flames served to effectively funnel the attackers into narrow choke points where the others could effectively pick them off.

It was a thing to watch as the three worked together seamlessly and efficiently, Jaune felt a sense of awe over take him as they fought like a well-oiled machine, first Mika would send out large gouts of flame securing their perimeter and making sure no Grimm could surround them forcing them into narrow choke points and funneling the beasts together.

Then Kage would step in his massive pistols sounding into the night as he hunted the larger grim one after another he casually ignored the lesser grim the Beowulf's as they charged in, then before they could reach him Ruby would come in like the crimson herald of death itself, slicing and dicing any that hadn't been dealt with filtering out the remaining Grimm in nearly seamless display of efficiency and talent.

As Jaune watched the fight a pit open in his stomach why am I so worthless?! He cursed himself as he watched them battle like a well-oiled machine despite them being total strangers they fought like they had known each other for years.

"Rally to me!" The commander yelled as she shot bright irradiated energy into the horde from her pistol. As she fired the energy matched her hair as an Ursa major thrice as big as the one Kage killed appeared behind her. It mass bone armor was thicker than a small car as it lunged to decapitate her as it's jaw hung open in blind hate.

She ducked the thrust before rallying and simply punching the monster in the face bare handily as she gripped its jaw she then yanked down with no discernible effort she then ripped the jaw from its head in a bloody display of skill and brutality.

The thing appeared to somewhat comprehend it's danger before she put a bolt of energy through its eye killing it instantly Rally to me! She let the thing fall unceremoniously to the ground her tanned out fit now marred in bright red blood. Keep firing! She yelled as fired into the charging monsters.

GROAH! Jaune nearly yelped as a Beowulf lunged at him damn it!

He swore loudly as the creature bounded in front of him beady red eyes glaring pure hate at him. Remember your training! This is why Phyrra trained you! He thought as he ducked the first strike of claws before turning slightly letting the thing over reach its arms before decapitating the monster.

As the things, red blood sprayed wildly from its neck before it began disintegrating. As he looked up to his horror three more of the creatures had arrived ignoring the raging conflict around them to encircle him.

"Damn it!" He cursed as he attempted to pivot a striking burning feeling in his legs made him swear loudly as he remembered their damage.

As if sensing weakness the one in front leaped to attack bright black fur reflecting dimly in the fire silencing the pain on him as it eyes mirrored his own. "Damn you!" He yelled as he struck upward in a wide cleaving arc splitting the thing head to pelvis.

Not deterred in the slightest, the other Grimm continued their attack, they were like that after all, and the two others persisted despite their comrades' death and the others both attacked at the same time taking two different vectors of attack. One leaped from his right while the other charged from his left.

Think quick! He cursed loudly as he raised his shield to the one in mid air shuddering as the monster bore into him threatening to take him to the ground. Luckily all his late nights paid off in full as he flipped the thing off before seeing the one on the left leap at him only to be skewered in a knee jerk reaction by his sword mid lunge.

GAH! Jaune swore as the Beowulf impaled itself on his sword the end of the blade coming from behind the thing's tail as it skewered itself mouth first onto Crocea Mor's tip.

As he planted, one foot on its snout ignoring the searing pain in his legs before reaching the thing off him.

"Damn it!" He swore loudly look up the fight had lost no tempo as the battle raged, a dark looking figure appeared in front of him as an Ursa major had somehow either through pure luck or sheer force of will had avoided the deadly trap of his comrades and began to charge at him….

* * *

Be calm Jaune said to himself as the monster charged him, bright red eyes full of hatred glared balefully at him. This isn't the emerald forest. He breathed quietly as he readied his stance. There's no Phyrra no teachers to help you. As he raised his shield the monster began to leap at him the legs were so wide that they thicker than most cars. You have one shot at this.. he thought as he ducked inwardly and brought up his sword arm ready to swing...

Jaune roared as he decapitated the Ursa Major in one smooth motion as the creature finally collapsed his body finally quit the ghost as he slumped to the hard dirt floor. As the sounds of combat faded dimly his eyesight blurred and bent as he struggled to stay conscious suddenly a loud and harsh voice broke him out of his delirium.

'All alive say I! As a chorus of I's rang out "I!" Jaune yelled before abruptly standing up. 'Jaune!" Ruby yelled as a bright crimson blur bored into him "you're alive!" "So it seems." Said the boss "as she looked at the remaining members of the team she quickly took note of their forces there were five of them including herself out of the sixteen that had been sent out. As she stared at the remnants of her squad. Over all ambush not included? Things were going better than expected….

As they gathered together in the charred remains of the bullhead. "We got a live one!"

Mika suddenly and far too happy in Jaune's opinion yelled as she pointed to her left. A body had suddenly jumped up from the ground before throwing a white mask into the dirt "I surrender!" The man yelled as he looked wide eyed at Jaune I- Crack!

A hatchet lodged its way into his skull as Mika slammed her hatchet home before removing it as it gave a wet plop! Sound as a shower of offal spewed into the air. The boss sighed heavily at this "Mika next time we have a prisoner at least try to interrogate him first ok?"

"OK boss lady! "Mika said happily apparently having taken no qualms with ending a human life. As Jaune stared at her his first quaked in anger at her callous disregard for life and decency, even the white fang were people too! they had rights and dignity they deserved to be- "Ok!" The boss said as she pulled out a piece of papers "let's get business now shall we?"


	3. Pillar one fat bottomed girls

Part three

Fat Bottomed Girls.

"Everyone ready?" The voice of the boss said as they all crouched silently in the outside of a pristine maintained hallway. The entire team of five were all hunched in a low crouch on the side of a plae white doorway. They had all been split evenly Kage and Juane one the left, while Mika and Ruby on the right. They had all been filleted in order as their weapons were fitted due to their effectiveness. Kage's pistols set up to snipe while Mika's flamer was put into a position to clear out the room.

As the all stared silently into the lightly lit hallway. It was hard to say what stood out more, the heavily armed heavily armored group of teen soldiers carrying enough weaponry to match a small army unit in terms of fire power or the immaculately clean hallway.

While the entire city was ruined beyond repair broken skyscrapers shattered homes and businesses. Broken and destitute homes covered every bit of the city, any building that wasn't straight up destroyed or on fire was in disrepair, all except for one. Apparently, throughout the entire city, only this one hall way on the thirteenth floor on the targets skyscraper was not only in immaculate condition but fully lit! Something that was decisive off in the ruined city.

"Remember!" The boss said as she checked her energy pistol 'behind those doors are white fang." "Human beings." "Not just Grimm you're going to be fighting these are real people, are you all ready for that?"

'Yes," Kage said calmly his voice full of strength and determination. "Absolutely!" Mika said barely containing her excitement at the prospect of a fight or more accurately for her the prospect of a slaughter.

"I'm ready..." Ruby squeaked timidly as she held Cresent Rose tightly to her chest. Her entire out fit was torn and dirty, the cape she had proudly worn was now filthy with mud and blood, her skirt was torn and dingy covered in blood and dust. "You ready kid?" The boss asked Jaune turned her purple eyes to stared into his blue ones. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Jaune replied as she looked him down to him her gaze could pierce steel as she nodded slowly "ok good."

She said as she reached back into her back and pulled out a black box.

One.. she flipped on the box as a bright red light flashed on it flashing the number 10.

Two.. she pivoted perfectly and turned to the door.

Three she kicked the door open and threw the box inside…

* * *

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! The ground shook viciously as the Ursa major brutally slammed the white fang operative into the ground. Each thudding impact of the beast slam shook the scatters desks and office supplies, and broke the concrete. its massive black jaw was wedged tightly into the man's collar as it repeatedly smashed him into the ground electing a terrified scream from the man. As the Man screamed in terror the Ursa slammed him down one last time before finally using its titanic jaw strength to begin crushing him.

At first, the man's body was protected as it's Aura briefly shielded him from the monsters gaping jaw before failing brilliantly as it gave an audible _pop!_ Before it broke and the thing's jaws finally tore into his flesh, forcing another horrible scream from his mouth before breaking through his flesh right into his bones. As the Ursa lifted the man in the air as if showing its triumph in one fell swipe of it;s jaws it clamped down on him splitting him in two, showering the devastated floor with bits of blood, bones, an organs before giving a terrible roar of triumph that deafened Jaune.

Jaune spun away from the sight of the charge rolling three times before jumping up to see a vision of hell. All around him was the hellish landscape of the buildings thirteenth floor. Massive towers of flame spread everywhere. Filling the room with dark black clouds of smoke making breathing near impossible. As bullets whizzed to and for. Tracer shots flew out making bright white lines across the room. As the screams of dying faunus being eaten alive by Grimm or being killed by his allies filled the air. Followed by the awful horrible putrid stench of cooking meat as both Faunus and Grimm alike were cooked to death by the inhuman pillars around them. Jaune had no idea where this battle had gone wrong but knew that this was only the beginning...

* * *

It hadn't started like this, not at all. In fact, the breach had started pretty well as the _boss,_ as she was now called kicked down the door before tossing a small black box inside, what happened after was imprinted in Jaune's memory forever. She had warned him to close his eyes before entering the room, but even still the blinding white flash of the explosion had been seared into his retinas nearly blinding them as he squeezed them shut.

As he spun inside it was pure chaos white Fang everywhere trying to get their bearings straight. A gargantuan crater had been made in the center of the room a pitch black hole full of charred flesh and destroyed uniforms as the Faunus around to close to the detonation numbly tried to piece what was still left the of the bodies back together.

As they were all dazed and confused as the shell shocked faunus looked warily to them still trying to plug the massive holes in the center ranks where the bomb had vaporized any offenders.

Instantly two Fang members were made into Scarlet canvases as their bodies simply imploded, as Kage shot into them with his pistols as the faunus were reduced to messy smears on the ground even through their aura Kage's pistols showed no mercy.

As the chests of the faunus caved in as the monstrous projectiles broke through them, Jaune realized that the detonators on his weapons must have force limit as instead of lodging themselves and turning the faunus into a brilliant showing of living fireworks would simply bypass straight through them, often detonating three ranks behind their original targets.

As he shot into the enemies scattered lines, the lithe form of Mika appeared followed closely by the faint smell of ozone and harsh chemicals before a Woosh! Was heard heralded by the antic scent of ozone as a wall of fire was erected consuming half the faunus line instantly in a glowing ball of white death.

* * *

 _Nothing_ in all of Jaune' admirably short life could have prepared him for the screams. He thought the Grimm had suffered but the faunus? Even if they were white fang they didn't deserve this. As the flames hit them they instantly dropped to the ground their hands rapidly trying to claw off their burning masks only to realize that in the intense heat the masks had literally _melted_ into a paste fusing them with their own skin.

After that, they writhed and jerked with agony as the flames consumed them. Mercifully they could not cry out as their new _faces_ prevented them from doing so.

But that was just the initial volley as the first line of infantry was immolated the next wave had a nasty surprise waiting for them. As the guns, weapons, and other ammunition stockpiles of the first wave hit their limits they all went off in loud _pops!_ of metal and shrapnel acting like improvised grenades. Faunus men and women screamed aloud as burning shrapnel exploded into their ranks, ripping out eyeballs with random but precise shards of steel, spilling intestines painting the floor with bright macabre flours and removing limbs and giving them a brutal mauling, as the sporadic explosions ripped into them shredding half of the next wave before

Faunus men and women screamed aloud as burning shrapnel exploded into their ranks, ripping out eyeballs with random but precise shards of steel, spilling intestines painting the floor with bright macabre flours and removing limbs and giving them a brutal mauling, as the sporadic explosions ripped into them shredding half of the next wave before the second ball of flame hit them engulfing them in a configuration of white death.

And then the screaming started... The first wave had mainly been wearing masks so when they died the mask had been fused to their skin preventing them from yelling aloud, but this group of Fang? They were rushed so they came guns blazing no masks on at all so when the flames hit, them _they howled._

Unlike the Grimm whose cries of agony through terrible were _pure_ _guttural howls._ The cries of a great beast as they struggled impudently against their demise. These were the cries of _sentient_ beings, beings that knew his langue! They spoke his tongue! And when they cried out in suffering he knew their language! He recognized their frantic pleas for help. As the men and woman were covered in chemical flames. They were almost all instantly disarmed as they dropped their weapons as they started rolling onto the ground.

Their half sane ramblings were drowned out as their faces popped and sagged, their windpipes bubbled and slotted as they were filled with sloughing flesh as they were consumed by roaring fire. The desperate, _despondent_ pleading to their gods to do anything, _and he meant anything_ to stop the flames. And he _felt_ their pain as they writhed and screamed on the floor as they frantically tried to stop drop roll to get rid of the chemical fire but to no avail.

Jaune had seen it himself _nothing_ got rid of that fire whatever it was was near inextinguishable. He had even seen one desperate faunus jump into a pit of brackish liquid in an attempt to get it off, Jaune had turned away due to the combat raging around him but when he eventually turned back he was horrified to see no pool of water but a steadily rising clouds of steam and a burning immolated body of a faunus in the center of it wearing a barely recognizable uniform, whatever that flame was made of it ignored almost every conventional mean of extinguisher and burned right through as if was air.

Their wails pierced Jaune's ears he fought throughout the battle taking on several Fang members to the far left he saw Ruby glaring pure hatred at Mika. Jaune could feel his heart dip as he remembered that talk from before….

* * *

Crash site.

Immediately following ambushes end...

"MURDERER!" Ruby screamed pointing at Mika with a look that could kill. A look that screamed of pure single minded hatred and contempt. A look that promised bloody resolution. A look that until this very moment Jaune thought impossible for the girl to even produce. I mean come on! This was Ruby Rose! the girl who couldn't even win a staring match with a dog! Yet there she was glaring pure hatred and rage at the girl next to her. As her silver eyes threatened to bulge out of her skull.

"YOU'RE A MURDERER!" Ruby yelled with all the hate and venom from before as she pointed at the girl. As the three others of the group paused and stared at her a mixture of shock, worry, and confusion on their faces. "

Me?" Mika asked and pointing to herself with one finger, shocked at her friend's sudden and vehement transformation.

"MURDERER!" Ruby yelled once again pointing a finger to her chest.

"I'm a murderer?"Mika asked clearly perplexed as to why Ruby would say such things. "How so?" Mika asked her friend honestly cocking her head in a perplexed fashion.

"How so!?" Ruby was infuriated by her casual dismissal of human life. "You killed the man!" "You executed him!" She yelled screaming at the top of her lungs. "Keep it down!" Hissed Kage as he readied his pistols to his side. "I don't want to have to kill any more of those things if I don't have

"Keep it down!" Hissed Kage as he readied his pistols to his side. "I don't want to have to kill any more of those things if I don't have too ok?"

"She's a murderer!" Ruby said once again yelling at Mika. Who once again Mika gave her a confused look and didn't respond. "You executed that man!" An-

"so?" Mika said in the most deadpanned voice humanly possible. Her casual wording wrong footed Ruby as Mika looked at her. "I killed an enemy combatant." What's so wrong about that?" "It's not like he was your friend was he?" Mika asked as an incredulous Ruby who was fuming vehemently.

"He was surrendering!" "And you killed him!" Ruby yelled causing Mika to blink her eyes but give no response to her triad. "

You think I'm a murderer?' Mika asked as her voice lost some of its usual pep and glamour.

"No, I know you are one!" Ruby yelled causing Mika to put her hand under her chin, "so killing a man makes me a murder huh?" "Yes!" "Yes, it does!" Ruby yelled apparently seeing an end to her speech

"then you are one too!" Mika said happy "were murder friends!" She said happily clapping her hands.

"What?" Ruby nearly shocked and loathed "I am not a murderer!" "Yes, you are," Mika said suddenly her voice instantly losing any form of cheer and being decisively neutral. "You killed a defenseless man as well." "By That logic, you are also a murderer," Mika said her voice steady and calm with a knife like an edge to it that mad Jaune's hair stands on end.

"That was different!"

"How so?" Mika asked her voice having lost all touch of its usual cheeriness and setting Jaune on edge.

"It just is!" " _It just is_ is not a good argument" Mika deadpanned her causing the Reaper to swell.

"It's- 'QUIET!" The boss yelled as she eyed them both "that's enough out of both of you!" "But she!" Ruby began before the boss tipped her scroll ominously Ruby shut her mouth after this fuming silently as Jaune grabbed her shoulder not now Ruby... He whispered into her ear as her whole body shook in anger not now "Rose bud." Jaune said trying an experimental nick name on her. It seemed to have the desired effects as she calmed down. "We'll settle this when we get home…"

He said as he looked up from the quaking girl as he did he saw Kage doing a similar action with Mika…

* * *

Present time

Office Room

Bullets whipped all around him bright flashed past over his head like large angry hornets as wild tracer fire erupted sporadically around the area. As he tore his head around tears stung his eyes as bright white flames spewed through the office taking no qualms between faunus or Grimm as to what to immolate. As bullets flew across his field of sight and grim and faunus struck each other with wanton desperation. Taking no heed to their own peril before being eaten alive by chemical fire, as dark black looking shapes loomed through the flames this was Hell…

Initially, the fight was going well despite the horrific injuries the white Fang had suffered they had no problems in dealing with the faunus effectively and efficiently, easily dispatching them with a variety of lethal and non-lethal ways it was going well, _too well_.

Kage had taken the front blasting away at the Fang, while Mika had spewed her chemical fire turning the entire office into a charnel house. After a glaring that promised bloody murder at Mika Ruby began engaging the faunus at the perimeters sides. Dealing with them efficiently and subduing them with practiced ease. That was until Mika took note of the knocked out faunus and proceed to wash them in white flames.

Causing Ruby to shoot a positively _lethal_ glare at her before she continued fighting. Hell, even Jaune was doing well. He had managed to dispatch three Fang combatants knocking them out in the course of two minutes. All in all, things were going well. If they kept up this pace then they would be done in no time.

And Just when Jaune thought they could do this without issue, even with the last remnants of the Fang forming a firing line at the end of the office building his hopes were smashed as the entire room was suddenly filled with an ear splitting roar and a sound of breaking glass a black tidal wave of death and hatred roared into the office. The Grimm had come.

* * *

He had no idea how they managed to climb thirteen stories but apparently, a bunch of burning faunus writhing in agony while the others fought desperately for their lives was like ringing a dinner bell to an all you could eat buffet and they swarmed like moths to the flame...

Jaune acted rather than thought as he began sprinting through the fire. Thankfully his aura had somewhat healed his legs and he was now able to somewhat fight competently. As he swung his sword he knew it was almost over. The heat alone was too much for his aura to take as his scroll showed it was nearing the red. As his flesh popped and sizzled as the first set of heat blisters began to appear on his pale skin he was going to die.

Almost as soon as it began it was over... It happened instantly one moment he was flailing fighting through a real version of hell on earth. Now he was stuck in a slightly cool room as bad music being to the room seemed to _lift._ He turned around to see the remains of the squad staring indifferently back at him.

Mika, Kage, Ruby, and the leader all blinked blindly at him for a moment before Ruby began spinning to life. "Jaune!" Ruby said her silver eyes tinged with tears as her face was beyond smudged and dirty, scars and cuts now marred her other wise perfect body. "I thought you didn't make it!"

She cried freely as her hug reached near Nora levels of pain as he gently patted her on the back. "Told them you didn't die," Kage said calmly as he looked at his pistols. "You seemed too stubborn."

"Yeah, I knew you didn't die!" Mika Said happily although from her although she _looked_ happy to see him alive this time he got the distinct feeling that while she _was_ happy with has survival she could also care less if he didn't. "Don't get cocky," the boss said as she readied her pistol as the elevator reached its final floor. "We are about to see our target, so look sharp people!"

* * *

 _Ding!"_ The elevator gave sharp ding as it reached its final destination. As the door opened revealing them to be in what appeared to be the penthouse suites of the top floor. Who are our targets anyway? Jaune asked the boss as they stepped into a deeply luxurious penthouse suite that was fully furnished upholstered and well kept. Lines of deep red rugs, filled with gold trimming line the floor. As brilliant paintings line the walls depicting art form a lot and bygone era. Followed a flowing cherubic fountain that stood lavishly in the middle of the room in front of the massive window that gave you an incredible scenic view of the destroyed cityscape.

That wasn't what caught his eye... No, it wasn't the fancy furniture or the immaculate banisters although they were perfect _._ No, it was the row after row of computer terminals and data banks that tied the room It _looked_ like something a researcher would be doing as he eyed the pieces of technology. Or more importantly the mound of dead decimated bodies that were strewn over them. Jaune had to fight back a wave of nausea as the horrid smell of rotting flesh filled his nostrils. Th entire research lab was a charnel house of diced and bifurcated bodies. Some had been slashed with what looked like javelins of pure ice while hoisting bodies into mid air like some mad game of skeet firings, as bodied hung limply on javelins made of ice, around half of them were impeded on the steps of ice while others ah been nearly burnt into _cinders._

"Take a look over yonder," the boss said as she pointed out the center of the room was a woman dressed in pure silver uniform with long flowing white hair who was in the process of removing a sword from a man's head as he slumped over a computer terminal…

Slipped around her were dead bodies all dressed in pristine white uniforms reminiscent of Atlas dress codes as all with bloody holes in their chest or heads. As the woman with pure silver hair removed the sword from a man's skull on word left his mouth. "Weiss?" Jaune asked the woman suddenly stopped her grisly work and turned her piercing blue eyes on him.

"I see your finish up nicely Winter." The boss said before the woman suddenly vanished in a blip of motion, Jaune froze as he swore the woman had been standing the middle of the room before vanishing like a cloud of smoke. Jaune gasped at her apparent disappearance before she suddenly reappeared and pointed her rapier to his throat.

"You know my sister's name." The woman's voice was as cold as her eyes as she pushed the word into his throat. "How do you know it?"

I- before he could even answer " _know this_ ," the woman said not once taking the point of the rapier from his throat" if your answer doesn't satisfy me _completely_ your life is forfeit." She said calmly and without a single trace of emotion.

" He's one of mine!" The boss said as she eyed her warily. Winter apparently accepted the response as acceptable as she removed her weapon from his jugular "so be it. "She said as she began to walk away from him causing Juane to slump to the ground heart thumping out of his chest…

The woman picked up a pure silver briefcase before turning to the group, "are you people coming or what?" She asked as she began to walk away from them.

" It's nice to see you too Winter!" The boss said through a thinly veiled layer of sarcasm causing the woman to stop on a heel and turn to face her.

"It's good to see you as well Uzepi, she said as she turned curtly away and began walking to a flight of stairs labeled _roof._

Are you related to Weiss? Ruby asked timidly as she helped Jaune to stand. "I'm her sister." Winter said calmly as she walked past the girl I'm her-"You _were_ her leader." Winter said coolly without a trace of sympathy. "I know who you are now let's going the Grimm won't wait for us to talk."

* * *

Get to the bullhead! Kage yelled as he sprinted to the waiting transport ship. As the doors slid open a masked figure stepped out and waved them over. "Get in!" The gloved man yelled as they sprinted forward. A large howl filled the air as a number of Beowulf climbed over the building's ledge and made for them. As Jaune climbed int the bull head " Straps on!" The boss yelled as several metallic cables fell from the top of the craft.

"What the hell?" Jaune asked as before he could talk a flight crew man had successful;y strapped him into one of the cables hooking it beneath his chest plate instantly. " there you go!" The man said as he strapped himself in as well. Looking around Jaune saw that all members of his party and Winter were all strapped onto one of the falling cables securing them to the craft.

" I got this! Kage yelled as they all finally got inside the transport. He had instantly pulled the side canyon of the ship forward as he aimed the Gatling gun at the charging abominations the weapon spooled for a second before coming to life.

 _BRRTT!_ The gun roared and fired a steady stream of blistering ammunition into the Grimm horde. White hot rounds cut the first Beowulfs into as Kage continued to fire.

We are leaving! The boss yelled. As the ship finally lurched free and began to fly off. Just in time as the first waves of monsters overran the rooftop Jaune got his first look over the ledge and his heart stopped.

There were grim hundreds no _thousands_ of them all combing over the broken skyscraper. It was a massive wave of hate and rage.

A seemingly endless ocean of violence and malevolence as the bullhead began its decent Jaune saw the danger too late. It was so obvious! Jaune yelled at himself as the craft lurched and dipped why hadn't he seen it!? There had been grim, grim! On the top of the skyscraper, _the top!_ The tallest building in the ruined city over thirty stories tall with no building even coming close to its height suddenly had Grimm on top of it? You see that asked one don question with a simple answer. How did the Grimm get up there? The answer was as usual simple t _hey climbed._

Grimm hundreds strong where on the side of the building a literal writhing carpet of doom as the bull head dipped they saw it was their cue and dozens leapt off.

Incoming! A crewman yelled as the ship lurched to its side, the sudden motion throwing Jaune of his feet as the craft slipped out from under him. VRT! The sound of straining plastic filled his ears as his cable caught him before he could hit the pilots desperately tried to give Kage a wider firing arc as he

"Damn it!" Kage yelled as he swung the gun upward a brilliant arc of bullets tracing up and down the Grimm horde as round bigger than Jaune's hand tore dozens of grim in two it wasn't nearly enough, as the pilots desperately tried to give Kage a wider firing arc as he turned the Gatling gun to its side many of the falling Beowulf's were ripped in two split in half or torn to shreds by fist sized projectiles.

Before Jaune could yell the lithe form of Mika appeared beside Kage with the most serious look on her face Juane had ever seen as her emerald eyes glisten with determination all traces of levity long gone. She unleashed a gout of flames into the falling horde instantly turning the cabin into a sauna as a wave of flame washed out incinerating, even more, Grimm as they fell.

Before Jaune could yell the lithe form of Mika appeared beside Kage with the most serious look on her face Juane had ever seen as her emerald eyes glisten with determination all traces of levity long gone. She unleashed a gout of flames into the falling horde instantly turning the cabin into a sauna as a wave of flame washed out incinerating, even more, Grimm as they fell.

Even if dozens much more dozens made it through and crashed into the ship sending the passengers stumbling as the ship lurched at the arrival of uninvited passengers.

Hold on! The pilot yelled as Kage continued to fire into the horde on the ground. Shoot them off! The boss yelled as the sounds of denting metal fill the cabin.

Jaunedrew his sword as he saw metal indenting as the grim climbed on the outside hull. This is going to be ruff! The pilot squawked from the side. As he did "here!" A crewman yelled she brought over a box of rifles take some!

He yelled as the flight crew dove for the weapons in the box crack _!_ A port side window was torn open as black claw reach in and tore the man's jugular out.

HGUL! He cried as he desperately tried to hold the blood in his neck as he collapsed failing miserably to contain the flow red blood spurted everywhere coating the fellow passengers with red hot blood.

Jaune dug into the ground holding his shield up cursing his lack of a ranged weapon. As the remaining crew men opened fire eager to avenge their lost member. Ruby and the boss both opened up with their respective weapons. He watched as bright silver rounds and irradiated energy beams cascaded into the hull surrounded by automatic weapons fire.

As Jaune looked at the violent display of bullets and laser the entire craft shuddered as the back of the bull head was _ripped_ off in a terrible sound of twisting metal. Gale force winds filled the cabin as Jaune felt his heart stop, CAW! The massive sound of a nevermore twice the size of the one in initiation ripped off the back of the bullhead and launched its beak into the craft.

"Damn it!' kage yelled as he yanked the Gatling gun onto the never more as bullets ripped into its beak tearing up great gouts of flesh and bone send it flying back into the night. The victory was short lived as a griffon landed in the open hull. It's massive wings beat for a second before it gripped a female crewman with its beak ripping her clear from her cable tossing her outside of the bull head in one swipe. The monster roared as two more of its kind landed as the passengers opened fire...

The best shook and shuddered as bullets from the crew's rifles bounce harmlessly of their armor as luck shout hit their flesh and ripped of knuckle size wads of feather and flesh. The smell of ozone filled the air was the only warning Jaune got as Mika filled the back of the bullhead with chemical fire immolating the unwanted passengers in a gout of white death.

The Griffons shook and twitched as one of the monsters broke free of the inferno and charge Jaune. It was terrifying a seven-foot abomination of dark twisted muscle and rage, also it was on fire as the monster jumped at him red eyes blaring hatred, BANG! The monster's head exploded in a puff of gore as Juane turned to see Kage while continuously firing on the Nevermore had unholstered one pistol and shot the beast in the head.

As the creature fell back and slumped into a heap of fire and bones Jaune never felt so useless. As the ship soared the Grimm kept attacking. As more Griffons kept landing on the ships broken hull Juane wanted desperately wanted to charge them but his more tactically minded part of his brain stopped him.

As the Griffons jerked and shuddered by automatic rifle fire Juane knew that if he charged he would be interfering with the crews already shaking gun line. Jaune had never be moaned his lack of ranged weaponry before as the crew fired desperately at the Grimm the only saving grace for them was that luckily only three griffons could fit through the breach at a time somewhat limiting their numbers.

The Griffons would charge at them blinded by their own hatred only to met by a wave of unfaltering gunfire until they broke the halfway point, only then would the antic smell of ozone would fill Jaune's nose Mika would let out another gout of flame at the charging monster burning them back into pitiably yelling configurations.

As the flight crew fired away, Ruby and the _Boss_ kept shooting blindly into the crawling Beowulf on the roof of the ship. As bursts of silver and blinding purple fired through the ships hull adding to the already deafening cacophony.

The battle was only worsened as the ship lurched violently and randomly as the Nevermore despite Kage's firing slammed into it;s side sending it skewing left and right sending the crew scattering only held aloft by their cables. As the crew scatted the griffon rallied and charged gaining precious yards before the shaky gun line could return fire on them.

As the battle raged another crewman was bisected by an errant claw form a window sending bright red blood dying into Jaune;s face as the dying man tried and failed to hold on his intestines the pilot's voice squawked over the intercom. "Hold on!"

She yelled as the ship suddenly lurched into a violent barrel roll. Sending the entire passenger department into free fall before slamming head first into the ceiling of the cabin.

Jaune's vision rolled as he saw a man impaled by the claws of a Beowulf before being drug outside of the cabin. Not the time! Jaune yelled as he reached out a hand and grabbed the man's arms hold on!

Jaune yelled as he gripped it tightly "I won't let you go!" He cried as the ship lurched again this time followed by the terrible sound of breaking wood and the screeching sound of tearing metal mixed with the cries of wounded animals before the ship righted itself causing everybody even the man Jaune was holding to suddenly and violently crash into the floor as the ship righted itself and soared into the night…

* * *

Much Later...

Bull head

Unknown location, somewhere in the wilds….

"We're here!" The Boss said as the ship began to descend the large holes in the side and back of the ship gave a decent view of the outside and a gentle breeze drifted through the hull we made it! Ruby said as the ship began its descent to Beacon. _We lived.._ Jaune thought as he nearly teared up at the prospect of seeing his friends again! Nora, ren, _Pyrrha_. As the ship lurched for the last time he noted that something was off...

 _Forests..._ There was too much of wilderness to be Beacon proper. Also, there was no city! Jaune looked and looked but could see no signs of Vale or anything he could deem remotely familiar. There was just an endless stream of a forest as they approached what appeared to be a giant cliff. What the hell?! Jaune thought the ship lurched and began its final descent, "Jaune?" Ruby asked as her eyes quaked in confusion "where are we?"

He was about to answer but was interrupted by the rhythmic sound of beating. Drums?! He thought he was imagining it but now it was clear someone somewhere was beating drums and loudly…

There were four massive fires that lit under his vision as he saw for pits of flames illuminating the night sky as he looked up his breath caught in his throat as saw something that looked more akin to a jagged claw than a building, a massive stone structure that was carved into the mountainside it was made of material so black that it appeared to be made of onyx. And shaped to resemble nothing more than a massive claw "where are we!?" Jaune asked as the beating of drums only got louder Jaune saw the giant structure they were approaching.

" What's going on!?" Jaune demand as the transport touched down.

"We're at your new home," Kage said as they stepped off the ship. As the boss, Mika and Winter deftly disembarked the bull head. "What?!"

He yelled at the fury present in his voice "what do you mean by new home?! This isn't the Academy! This isn't Beacon"

Kage look confused by this his brown eyes seemingly wondering what his comrade's concern was about before a knowing look appeared and he gives Juane a small smile. "Oh, they said they'd take you back to the _Academy_ didn't they."

"Yes!" Jaune raged at him before seeing the small smile grow into a grin. "They didn't say which _academy_ though did they," Kage said before bowing to him in an overt gesture of greetings " I know this is a bit rushed for you two but I guess I should be the first to greet you to your new home!" Kage said as Jaunes face grew a look of true hopelessness s Kage bowed to him in extravagant gesture. "Welcome… to Bastion…"


	4. Pillar one Sympathy for the devil

Part four

 _Sympathy for the devil_

 ** _AN. We are back boys, this time with a plot! Been delaying this chapter because I had no idea where the hell the story was going but now i got a general one and with my fancy brand new editing software we are in business._**

 ** _ps. TFW your editing software REFUSES to recognize Jaune as a name..._**

* * *

"What are you talking about?!" Jaune yelled at Kage as the final sounds of the bullhead's roaring turbines died down. "I meant to welcome you to your new home," Kage said his light brown eye reflecting off the fires.

"This is not our home!" Jaune yelled at the youth as he simply looked confused to Jaune's anger. "We were promised to be taken home! And- "they got you with the whole do the mission and we let you go thing huh? Got me with that too!" Kage said sadly as his scarlet combat armor practically glowing in the torchlight, "but that doesn't matter much now does it?"

Jaune was about to respond before Kage waved his arm "come on!" He said and he began walking up the steps that led to the building. The giant rock faced edifice that he called Bastion "let's get going!" Kage said as he nonchalantly waved Jaune forward taking steps toward the mountain.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked as her silver eyes widened to the point of saucers and filled with fear. "What's going on? How come we aren't at Beacon yet?"

Her voice was trembling and she had refused to let his shirt go since the end of the mission. I don't know Ruby Jaune said in his calmest voice possible but instead to find out. He said before sighing and taking his first step in the large staircase towards bastion

"I don't know Ruby" Jaune said in his calmest voice possible. " But we're going to find out and go home I promise. He said before sighing and taking his first step in the large staircase towards bastion"

"Where are you headed now?" The tall woman who had been leading their mission asked Winter as the reached the top of the staircase. "I have to get going," Winter replied curtly and Jaune saw where Weiss got her manners from.

"See ya later!" The _boss_ replied as Winter gave her a curtailed nod before adding a "we'll be in touch soon" as she walked away.

"Winter!" A sharp voice said as they both turned to see Ruby staring longingly at the woman. "Winter... Could you… could you tell Weiss that I'm alive? and that I'm ok?"

Ruby asked her voice was pleading and full of desperation and for the first time, he saw Winter look guilty.

"I'm sorry I can not." She said in the most sympathetic voice possible as Ruby deflated instantly as her mood evaporated like a popped balloon as she opened her mouth in shock.

"It's classified... I'm sorry…. For the record though... " Winter said as her piercing blue eyes observed her "you _were_ an excellent leader," she said in what was perhaps the first kind gesture Jaune saw her take before she turned left and walked away towards the bullhead and into the night.

"Back home!" Mika said happily as they paused before they gigantic stone doors of Bastion entrance. Seeing this as his chance for some answers Jaune found his voice. "What's' going on here?!"

Jaune asked the woman in front of him. Who stared at him blankly as her purple eyes regarded him curiously. "What do you mean?" She replied in the same confused tone as Kage. "I mean why aren't we at Beacon!" Jaune almost slipped into a rant but caught himself just in time.

"You said you'd take us back to the Academy!" Jaune barked eating a frown as her purple eyes narrowed onto his.

"This _is_ the academy though." She said confusedly as he eyed him, "we are back in Bastion."

"This isn't Beacon!" Ruby piped up from behind still holding onto Juanes side but equally infuriated at not being home with her loved ones.

"Ahh… I see" the leader said before sighing deeply "if you have any problems with your current... _predicament_ you can ask than headmaster, which should be simple since we are on our way to meet him right now."

The boss said as she turned to press a button on the doors. "That's not good enough-" Jaune stopped as he saw the lady tapped her scroll quietly as the heavy weight of the collar weighed on his neck, he held his tongue as the doors opened slowly much better the woman said before they enter Bastion proper and Jaune got his first look inside the building.

* * *

 _Cold,_ Jaune's first impression of the school was cold. Beacon had been _warm_ like an open flame welcoming and inviting you inside while Bastion was the polar opposite of that. Bastion was cold... As Jaune walked in he felt a cool breeze slither its way into his armor and cut into his flesh like a knife as he shivered involuntarily.

While Beacons halls were carved from masonry a filled with banners and other trinkets to make you feel warmed and at home Bastion's were not. They made the hallways of Bastion smooth, having no fanfare or baubles adorning them, they were clearly made with functionality built over aesthetics.

It was clear that the school was built into and from the mountain as the hallways were carved out chunks of said mountain. Each hallway was slick and smooth and shined a brilliant opaque clear color as they traveled throughout them.

Also unlike beacon, the entirety Bastion seemed to be lit using actual torches instead of lights. Jaune noticed the dozens upon dozens of torches lighting every hallway with zero cables running through them. Producing an eerie torchlight the gave the entirety of the build a certain off-kilter feeling that made him feel nauseous.

As they made their way deeper into the building alongside winding corridors and up spiral staircases. Was everything here built out of the mountain?

Jaune wondered as they finished climbing what the now counted as the fourth row of staircases except for the torches themselves everything he had seen had been made from the mountain from the doors, to the staircase hell even the torch holders!

Everything was made out of the hard unfeeling granite that made him feel like he wasn't even on Remnant anymore.

Eventually, their trek ended as they stopped before the first door that was not made out of the mountain and appeared to be carved from rich mahogany that made the dull red door stand out in stark contrast to the opaque walls around it. "This is it." The lady said as she inhaled deeply "everybody ready?"

"Sure," kage said with a neutral tone like he truly didn't care one way or the other.

"Yep!" Mika as happily as usual waving her flamethrower in the air "I can't wait to see the old man again!"

"Don't let him hear you calling him that."

The boss said with a grin " _he'll skin you alive."_ As she turned to Jaune and Ruby who had been deathly silent the entire journey, "you two?"

"Ready" as I can be. Jaune replied in a low voice as the boss sighed and open the doors of mahogany revealing an entirely different place.

* * *

The room was a stark contrast to the school. A roaring fire roared behind a wooden desk in a low domed room where two figures sat. One an older man with a curious expression on his face, with long silver hair _and eyes_ wrapped in loose black cloaks with pale skin and a thin exposed neck, and a curious face that smiled enigmatically at them as he revealed two rows perfect teeth.

"Ah, you're back!" He said with a voice that was filled with youthful vigor and energy yet decisively faint...

"Yes, we are." The lady said as they stepped into the office and the doors shut themselves behind them.

"I take it that your mission was a success then?" The man asked raising a lone eye to their leader. Who straightened her back before nodding once.

"Yes, it was." She replied curtly before pulling out a scroll showing him a holographic display full of numbers and charts that made no sense to Jaune but meant something to the enigmatic man behind the desk as the man behind the desk grinned before he snarled harshly, "excellent!"

The man said clasping both hands together clapping them loudly "not only was our coordinator retrieved with the research in tow but! You also came back with _four_ students out of sixteen!"

"That's a _fifty percent increase_ in survivors from last time! Miss Heil! Please write that down on our next motivational pamphlets will you?" The headmaster? Jaune thought as he had no idea who the man was as of yet. Asked the woman smiling the same bright but cold smile as the man asked the woman in white now known as Miss Heil as she sighed deeply before grabbing a scroll and a pen of some type before tapping the information on it.

"I must hope that this recent increase in mission success will be just the kick in the proverbial pants that our students need to do better in life!" As he spoke to the other figure behind the desk a rather young looking woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties that looked dispassionately at him.

She was a gorgeous woman, tall with bright blonde hair deep red _almost blood_ colored crimson eyes and a stare that made miss Goodwitch after Nora had spilled Syrup all over her clothes look positively cheerful. Dressed in a simple white blouse with a business dress underneath she looked like she wanted for all the world to be out of this office and to be anywhere _but_ where she currently was.

"As you say," the woman said in a voice that if Jaune did not know any better he could have sworn her words had _burned_ his face just by her talking.

"Now onto the brighter things!" The man said as he turned to look at Jaune for the first time since they arrived in the building his cold silver eyes stared into Jaune who in turn felt like there was something truly off and wholly ethereal all about those pure silver eyes. As he fought the urge to panic.

It was like there was a cold arm coming out of them and pulling him towards them with each second pulling him closer and closer to some type of bottomless chasm as he held the bottomless gaze. "Ah, you must be Mister Arc are you not?" The man asked as his silver eyes locked on Jaune's blue ones making him shiver.

Finding his courage Jaune swallowed then spoke, "yes sir that's me."Jaune said taking a deep breath before shooting out a hand towards the old man. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Jaune said as he held out his arm before realizing his mistake. A sudden intake of air was heard throughout the room as every other figure save for himself the headmaster and Ruby inhaled quickly and turned to face him with various looks on incredulity on their faces.

Instantly regretting his decision but refusing to back down Jaune watched as the headmaster regarded his hand like it was a foreign trespasser on sovereign territory and he looked like he was wondering if he should keep it. Jaune tensed nervously as sweat ran down his brow as the headmaster continued to stare at him as if he was some type of rare animal in a zoo.

 _Did I mess up!?_ The boy wondered as the seconds ticked on long grating seconds as the dimmed fire crackled in the background as the eyes of the room looked upon him.

He thought for sure he was going to die. The ethereal gaze from the man to the downright _murderous_ glare from his assistant who looked ready to char the meat from his body.

All kicked in to make him want to yank back his hand and duct tape it to his side. Fortune, however, had different plans as the staredown between him and the headmaster ended with the man giving him a light chuckle then extending a hand of his own. " It's a pleasure to meet you as well mister Arc." the man said with a cold smile.

Jaune relaxed instantly as the man extended the arm, smiling at him the man returned the smile beatifically before taking his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir!" Jaune said as the man fingers touched his hand he _fought the urge to scream._

It was as if all the heat in his body was suddenly and without hesitation yanked out of his body and replaced with searing ice. The boy had to suppress a horrified scream as he felt his body grew to what felt like sub-zero temperatures, as his entire body felt like it had been tossed didn't the middle of an Atlesian winter stark naked and covered in snow.

Jaune was yelling internally as all the warmth left his body. He felt like shouting at the top of his lungs before the man removed his hand from his and instantly it was gone.

That horrifying clawing feeling of having his very life force sucked out of him disappeared instantly. Leaving him with the only shuddering feeling as his body warmed up with his own heat. Jaune's body shuddered gratefully that he was back to normal the only side effect of the handshake where the shaking of his legs and the feeling of a _stain_ on his soul.

"The _pleasure was all mine_." The man said before as a bright smile broke his face. "The name is Ludo, _Ludo Von Richthofen_. But you may call me sir or headmaster as you so, please." He said before bowing slightly, "to my right is my assistant _Liz Heil_ you may call her Miss though I doubt she wants you to call her anything right now he said with a light chuckle gesturing to his assistant."

Jaune suppressed a gulp as the assistant's blood red orbs burned a hole into his head.

Seeing the chance that luck had provided Jaune took chance at answers. "Sir there are some questions that I want, no I need to be answered!" For the second time, there was a sharp intake of breath in the room. As the occupants, Ruby included this time stared at him with shock and incredulity in equal measure at the young man. _Jaune had messed up_ he didn't know how but no one inhales like that when it's something good.

His fears we proved justified as the woman's eyes literally _exploded_ in flames. His heart almost stopped at the sight. Sure he had seen fiery eyes before, that was nothing strange.

Being the best male friend of a girl with an overprotective big sister made him no stranger to a girl with flaming eyes but _this_? The woman's eyes radiate pure disgust and disdain in such levels that he swore he felt his armors paint beginning to chip.

"How dare you"- the woman began before Ludo stopped her. "Calm down, Liz!"

The man said with a low slight chuckle that while sounding real enough was completely devoid of mirth or warmth, "the boy meant no harm!"

"But sir he"-

"But nothing!" He said with a laugh that took full advantage of his booming voice that was still completely devoid of any amount of warmth or love.

As the man turned his silver eyes to Jaune as he fought the urge to flinch as he rested his elbows on his desk and put his head in his hands. _"State your case."_

The man said simply as he gestured for Jaune to speak. "I want to return to Beacon, sir!" Before Jaune opened his mouth the man was grinning like a fool and now that he had spoken the grin only doubled. "Oh? So you want to go back to Beacon now do you?"

"More than anything in the world sir," Jaune stated showing his hands.

" _I think I can arrange that..."_

* * *

You can?!" Jaune asked almost not believing his words and causing the headmaster to laugh raucously again in that cold humorless laughter that resounded in the entire room. "Of course my boy! I am the headmaster of the academy as such I _exist_ for my students after all!" He said earning an eye roll from the lady called _Liz_.

"You want to go home and I want you to go home as well! So let's make a deal!"

"A deal sir?" Jaune asked Ludo as he gave him a wolfish smile.

" Yes, a deal!" The headmaster said with a beatific smile. "You will do _two things_ for me in return for a _guaranteed_ transfer back to Beacon."

"Name them!" Jaune said quicker than he thought he could speak.

"Eager are we?" Ludo said with that wolfish grin he now wore like a mask, "I like that!" The man said with a happy grin.

"First off! You will complete _one semester_ at my school!"

Jaune Nodded quickly not seeing anything wrong so far with his requests so far. "Second off! You _will_ represent _and_ _participate_ in the upcoming Vytal tournament marking Bastion's worldwide debut! Cementing us a central player in the world!"

"You don't have to win the tournament, I am not unfair but!" The man said taking a dramatic pause and staring Jaune in the eyes."Although you need not win the tournament, the farther you go the more I will be pleased."

"And _trust me,_ you _want_ to keep me happy, just ask my assistant!" He said earning another eye roll from the other woman in their group.

"That's it?" Jaune asked still shocked at the simpleness of the deal. "You Just want me to represent the school?"

"Just!? This boy already is becoming overconfident! Do you see this Miss Heil? This is just the kind of thing we need in our school!" Ludo stared as he laughed heartily. "You must also complete _one semester_ of education here!" He said with a grin, "don't forget the first part of our deal now!"

"I won't!" Jaune said nodding his head to the older man who grinned in response.

"Tell you what! Since you seem like a good lad I'll sweeten the pot! You do well here and I'll send you home two weeks in advance for the Vytal Tournament for good behavior what do you say? do we have an agreement?"

"Deal!" Jaune didn't think the words could leave his mouth so fast as he shook the man's hands. This deal was perfect! He just needed to do one semester which couldn't be that hard and _compete!_ Not win but _just compete_ in the Vytal tournament! He didn't think going home would be this easy!

"Excellent!" Ludo said gripping his hand tightly and once again Jaune felt the need to scream as the warmth rushed out of his hands, as he felt grasping frigid claws reached into his chest as he felt that every second he _stood_ let alone _touch_ the headmaster that his soul was in mortal danger.

"Why are you wearing those _things_ around your neck? He asked pointing to the collars on their necks. Jaune blinked completely wrongfooted by the man's question.

"There were there to keep us in line during the mission sir." He added respectfully making sure to take note of the man's rank.

"Keep you in line? How could these collars keep _anyone_ in line?" The man asked as a look of pure confusion on his face. As Jaune paused unsure if he was being tested by the man before responding with the best answer he could, with the truth. "Because they have explosive tips in them?"

"What!?" The headmaster looked shocked and worried. "Didn't we get rid of the last of the explosive collars last month?" He asked as his assistant sighed deeply.

"We got rid of all _but one,"_ she said looking the older man in the face.

Her blood red eyes eyeing him like a hawk might eye a worm. A look that perfectly straddled the line of vague disinterest mixed with mild pity. As she turned to their group, "it seems as if there was only one explosive collar was in your inventory during your foray into the city." Jaune froze the collars were a bluff!?

He felt white-hot rage boil into his body at the news, they could have escaped! They could have been free! With their neck's free both he and Ruby could go home!

As the man spoke up. "let me get that for you," he said before gesturing to their leader "Miss?"

"Yes, sir!" The boss said as she waved a hand over her scroll. _Clink!_ A mechanical clinking sound filled the air as the collars detached themselves from their necks and dropped to the ground. As Jaune rubbed the sore skin on his neck grateful for the relief that he was now feeling as the threat of an instant and violent death was temporarily removed from his life.

As the collars fell to the floor the woman known as Liz eyed his collar suspiciously as she nodded her head, _"interesting..."_ She muttered while staring at the collars and drawing the headmaster's attention. "See something you like Liz? Or perhaps someone? There are some fine gentlemen in this room If I do say so myself."

Ludo asked waggling his eyebrows at the lady, the look she gave him could have breached his armor as she gave him a look so writing it looked like the wood on the desk would start peeling backward.

"I was just noticing how the young man's collar was indeed _armed_ with an explosive tip. In fact, they were _all_ armed with explosive tips."

"What!?" Jaune was suddenly feeling _much_ more grateful to get the piece of metal off of his neck.

"That doesn't make sense…" Liz said as she eyed him.

"It doesn't Liz," Ludo said as he turned to the group specifically at the girl with silver hair.

"Mika, didn't I _specifically_ request that you get rid of all the explosive collars last month?"

"Yeah, but I kept some anyways!"The girl said her ever-present happy voice cherry and undeterred by the situation.

"You… You actually kept some of them? The headmaster asked flabbergasted by her decision trying to figure why she would make such a choice as to put herself and fellows in reckless danger, but… But... why?"

 _"Because!"_ She said in an offended tone" if you go on a mission without the chance of death and dying is no fun! If I knew there would be white fang on the mission I would have tossed them!"

As she spoke Jaune stared dumbfounded at her as Kage's mouth opened in shock. The headmaster blinked three times before shrugging his shoulders. "Fair point," he said before clapping his hands "now going on!"

"You mean to tell me those things were armed?!" Kage almost shouted to his _friend?_ Although Jaune no longer knew how much he thought of her as a friend, for as of this moment he looked ready to tear her head off and use it for volleyball practice.

"Yup! Sure where!" Mika said happily as Kage looked ready to strangle the girl before the boss put a hand on his back and calmed him.

"Now onto business!" The headmaster said happily his silver eyes regarding them all with a steely look that unnerved Jaune. "Since you are all students at my school is there any questions that you would like answered?"

"What kind of school is this?" A timid voice called from behind Jaune as Ruby spoke up. "Ahh Miss Rose!" The headmaster said happily to her though _not_ extending her a hand.

"Before you ask and just so you know the offer I extended to mister arc also extends to you as well miss Rose." Jaune nearly fainted realizing his potentially lethal mistake. If the headmaster had wanted to he could have tricked him using a loophole! Luckily he either didn't like trickery something Jaune doubted wholeheartedly.

Just Looking at Ludo made him feel like he was going to leave the room missing his scroll or something _much_ more valuable. He still couldn't shake the feeling that by just by being in the same room as the headmaster his very soul was in some kind of looming mortal peril.

A factor did not help the headmasters glaring silver eyes and calm calculating face that unnerved Jaune to no end.

The more likely of the two was he simply didn't care as he smiled at Ruby.

"But to answer your question this is a school for _last resorts._ Where you can safely bet that no one who has _ever_ walked through these halls myself included! Has ever _wanted to be here."_

'Imagine this!" The headmaster said taking a dramatic pause before he began to tell a story. "You know how you're all told that Hunters are these big strong and powerful Combatants. These perfect examples of humanity that defend us against the darkness?"

"Well you're right in the case that one's on tv are, but there are a lot of hunters who are just as responsible for keeping the Grimm at bay but lack that certain… pizazz to be public!"

Seeing the confusion on the child's face Ludo frowned before going blunt. "This is a school for those who have committed crimes too great to be forgiven such as yourselves!" He said pointing to the group. "But!"

"Also like yourselves it is a place for those who have talents that are too special to the point where it would be downright foolish if not outright _criminal,_ to waste them even _with_ a titillating execution. So instead you are all being offered a second shot at redemption through Bastion."

"Make no mistakes!" The headmaster spoke in a tone that for once held no amusement but was deathly in its severity. This is not Beacon, it is _not_ a pristine jewel in the night made to gestate and safeguard the next generation of hunters!"

" This is a school for the worst of the worst! People while strong enough to carry the mantle of hunters but their actions have damned them! People whose crimes are so great that they can no longer be put into public society. These walls house all types, Murderers, thieves, arsonist, sociopaths we take all comers in these walls."

"But! These are also people whose talents are so unique that they can not be just killed. So they are given one chance. Reform and use yourself to the best of your abilities to help others, or _die."_

As the man let his words sink in that is only the first part of the school. "What's the other part?" Ruby asked not entirely sure she wanted to hear the rest. "Oh yes, miss Rose while we do cater to the ne'er do wells of society we also care to those who probably are a little more… _unique_ and _personal…"_

The headmaster had long since lost his joviality and was now speaking in hard clipped tones. "Ask yourself this Miss Rose. Do you honestly think that all hunters were perfect?"

" That they were all some kind of shining knights that had no flaws and were filled with virtue and altruism?" Before she could answer the headmaster kept talking.

"Of course you didn't! You're a smart girl and you know that despite their qualities they are all still human and are prone to flaws and vices. Though to be fair some are _literal_ shining knights but they are exceptionally few and far between."

"Here's a question for you. Did you ever wonder what the test you took before you registered for Beacon was for?" As he asked Ruby looked at him dumbly but Jaune knew.

Even if he had _finessed_ his way into Beacon he still at least took the intro test. As the headmaster seemingly reading her mind slapped his head lightly.

"AHH! How could I forget! Your invitation to the school was rather _arbitrary was it not?_ " Before she could reply he was already talking again.

"Well to enlighten you and possibly your fellows though I doubt they will need to hear, for it is not unbeknownst to them that all students are forced to take a written mental evaluation before applying to any hunter school."

"It is equal parts an intelligence test as well as a psychoanalysis of them to see if they have the right mental state to go into the academies. It highlights certain characteristics that hunters are supposed to idealize like _selflessness, inspiration, leadership_ while also flagging negative traits especially looking for things like _hatred, sociopathy, and belligerence."_

"To those that pass and do well on both intelligence plus have the physical skills are then admitted into one of the four academies and life goes on as usual."

"Now did you ever consider what of those individuals who _weren't_ so altruistic those who more than passed the test for being a huntsman but were at best _mildly misanthropic_ and at worst _downright psychopathic?"_

"These are _funnily enough the norm,"_ the man said as his face broke into a cold smile as he spoke as he gave a chuckle drier than the Vacuoan dessert and without a hint of humor to it. "In actuality, the majority of huntsmen do not pass the mental evaluation to become huntsmen. Don't look so shocked!" The man said with false mirth as he grinned at the young reaper.

"Out of _all people_ here, _you_ should especially know what the stress of hunters job can do to man miss Rose. I mean look at you uncle! Do you really think _he_ passed the mental exam for the academies?"

" Hardly! He was slated to be shipped here first chance he got! And if it wasn't for the intervention of the old man Ozpin himself he would have been a Bastion graduate through and through! Him and his sister!"

He spoke making the entire room freeze with what seemed to be little more than his pure presence. "To answer your question miss Rose, this school is built for them miss Rose the angry, the sociopathic the damned and the desperate the ones who simply _can not_ get along with in normal human society so they must be brought here."

"With the war on the Grimm as it do you really think we can just throw away talented recruits just because they tend to not be able to be around crowds of people, or they just happen to make a _flesh_ _suit_ out of every tenth person they see?"

"Hardly! We bring them here in the hopes of redeeming themselves through actions or to curb the worse of their psychosis and help them work through worst of their Sociopathy".

"With the faint hope of getting them to turn whatever is left of their misanthropy against the Grimm instead of their fellow human beings!"

As he finished his speech and a chill settled over the room piercing its inhabitants to the core. Even the roaring fire could do little to soothe the chill that permeated the inhabitant's spines.

" Before you ask I will give you a brief preview of what will be expected of you in the day to day life here. Besides housing, the reforming criminal and criminally insane Bastion is also the official academy of the wilds!"

"Where _any_ potential hunter that can not reach the kingdoms for _whatever_ reasons can enroll here and be given guaranteed admission!"

" For you see Bastion has no entrance exams so any and all who apply are guaranteed entry. You will be amongst these _regular_ students where you will coexist and learn with as comrades in arms!"

" In fact, the only difference the regular applicants of Bastion have versus the other ones are that they do not have their aura unlocked, besides that they are just the same as any other academy student."

"Now before I go on are either of you two familiar with the term _hygiene cleanliness_." The man asked as both teens shook their heads.

"Hygiene cleanliness is the act of doing actions that while they do not make you healthy the lack of them might make you sick. Take washing your hand for example. Washing your hand's does not make you healthy but not washing them might make you sick."

" You see the world as a whole does not trust Bastion, we are ignored at best or disdained at worst. Despite our vast contributions to Remnant, we are treated like leppers!"

"That being the case you will be required just like in Beacon to take on missions such as this. Your mission's here will _not_ save the world but the failure of them _might_ cause its destruction."

" That is why we have to do well in the Vytal tournament. We need to show the world that we are more than a place for the outcast of the work. And that we are more than capable of standing with the best, even if we have the worst."

"You see children, I have a dream, a goal a vision if you will, of Bastion's name being int he bright lights on the top of every billboard, car, and Holo-set in Remnant! I want our names to be comparable with the likes of Beacon and Haven!"

" For that to happen we need ot garner trust, in order to garner trust, we need to not only take whatever mission's the damned council says we are _allowed_ to take but! To take on missions that none of the other academies and hell even grown hunters wouldn't even attempt! We are here to prove yourself to the world and that's just what you will be doing."

" I will not deceive you on this children, Bastion is _not_ a rich school. We lack the proper funding, recourses, and talent that the other academies are provided with. In fact, anyone with real talent that enters our doors, _like yourselves,_ is worth their weight in the dust!"

" We are often given the bottom of the barrel either total sociopaths that refuse to work with others, hardened criminals that we have to take _increased_ measures to ensure obedience or children who have never had a hot meal and simply did not want to starve or be eaten in the wilds. Let alone how to properly handle a weapon!"

"That being the case what we do not have the sheer talent of other academies we more than make up for it in terms of _manpower._ We bost the single largest growing and the current population of potential hunters in the world."

" Unfortunately like I said we are not a rich school, and we simply can not afford to sustain our current or growing number of applications, and restrictions placed upon us make it impossible for us to turn down a students request of admission, so we are often forced to take measures to weed out... if you will the unworthy of the population, the weakest, the naive, those who past experience or trauma render them incapable of redemption. "

"To do this we have a simple sink or swim policy that the strong will survive and the weak will die. While you are here you will be tested daily in terms of survivability and longevity."

" To be clear we like to have an invitation for new students to see how well they will do. Congratulations on passing your initiation with flying colors, by the way, you all did excellently! And that mission is but a mere taste of what life will be like here so take the lesson you learned if any to heart!"

"When you embark on missions here expect to have little to no support like you would have at Beacon or any other academy, We simply can not afford to give you the luxuries of another school. Expect the only really support you will get will be guaranteed extractions and delivery to mission zones besides that we have little to offer."

"To off set this difference here we use our one advantage to win our battles, we have more students than all the other schools so _we use them._ You are one of many expect to be used like such"

"To be blunt we tend to throw our students into the enemy if they are strong enough or lucky enough they will live if not..."

"It frees up more room for other students! I know this is not the most civil of ways of weeding out weakness but it is our way, it is the Bastion way."

* * *

"Now! That we have that unpleasantness out of the way onto more important things!" The headmaster's tone had lost every ounce of severity and was once again bright and cheerful.

"You four are going to participate as a newly minted team for the remainder of the semester and the entirety of the vytal tournament, and since you are going to complete the remainder of the semester here you as real Bastion students before you will then go forth to represent Bastion in the tournament and prove our worth!"

"Speaking of the tournament you will be acting as a team in it and in the academy so you will be in need of a leader."

The headmaster paused musing though some holographic files on his scroll muttering under his breath briefly before coming to a conclusion. You will be led by… Jaune Arc! Congratulations young lad!"

"Me... A leader?" Jaune asked as he put a hand on his chest, he had not been expecting this as he already was a leader of a team back home, Ren, Nora, Phyrra...

His thoughts dragged him to his far-off teammates before a happy voice cut into his mind.

"Yay! We have a leader again!" Mika said happily as she turned to face him her bright green eyes sparkling happiness, "what do you say _mister boss man!"_

She Sang happily to him as her green eyes eyed him happily. "You... You'll accept me as a leader?" Jaune was still trying to cope with the idea of a school meant only for criminals and madmen and he barely had the brainpower to come to grips with being the leader _again_ and was trying to get a grip on his situation.

"Sure thing Boss," Kage said calmly as he patted his shoulder "whatever you say goes, _Bossman."_ He said calmly before letting go of his arm.

"Kage! Don't you want to be a leader? You did great in the last mission aren't you more qualified than me?" Jaune asked as Kage grew a somewhat tired expression on his face.

" I'm not cut out for the leadership role kid, tried it once not really my thing you take it. You look more suited to it than I am anyway."

" Oh, he's just being bashful! What he really meant to say was the last time he was the leader he got our entire team killed except for me and bears the soul-crushing weight of a guilty concise and has refused to take the role of a leader since!"

Mika added happily smiling cheerfully as she revealed what was perhaps a soul-shattering secret about Kage who's only response was to hit her up the back of the head with the but of one of his pistols.

" _Stop that_ ," Kage said plainly as he smacked Mika making her wince but smile in Pain.

"I also support this!" Ruby said for behind her bright eyes shining in the room.

"It's not like you have a choice!" Liz snapped at the kids causing them to instantly shudder and stop speaking.

"Now Liz!" Ludo said happily, "let them have their fun! Their children!" Liz glowered at him before turning away from them.

"Now let's see… a proper team needs the proper team name so..." Ludo hummed looking at the youth in from of him.

"Jaune Arc, Venke Kage, Ruby Rose, Mika Smith…."

"Arc, Ruby, Kage, Mika..."

"I got it!" The headmaster said before slamming a fist into his palm. "This team will be called ARKM! Arc, Ruby, Kage, Mika! That way there are two first names and two last names!"

"With this team, _Arkham_ is born!" The headmaster said with a wry grin "now that you are full students you are entitled to the grand Bastion tour! Liz Show them around the place why don't you?"

* * *

"This here is the cafeteria where you will enjoy your meals during your stay. You will surely find your meals to only be _nutritious but also delicious._ " The assistant said in a tone that spoke of countless speeches and unwanted repetitions.

As she leads the newly from team Arkham throughout the school. Jaune was still unsure about their name or why the hell the schools had such a fetish for naming the teams into acronyms, but he shrugged the thoughts off with far more pressing matters on his plate.

Mainly of how to not end up a black smudge on the ground courtesy of miss Heil who looked like she was ready to immolate them.

It was clear she had given this speech many times before and was in no mood to give it again. As she led the teens through the building.

"At least the cafeteria looks normal," Ruby said from behind the group still uncomfortable with the whole being forced to stay at an unknown location separated from their family and friends and potentially forced to fight concept.

"I hope the food's as good as Beacon's," she said before a snort was heard from Kage as he mumbled something indescribable as they followed the assistant.

As the tour progressed they traveled through our Bastion seeing several rooms and various important locations LIbrary, medical etc. before being led through several levels of spiral staircases downwards to find themselves in Bastions combat arena.

Unlike Beacon who had many combat arena's spread out across the school Bastion in its entirety only had one. But. _It. Was. Huge._

Jaune had to physically stop his mouth from hanging as he nearly gasped at the size of the thing. Forget about sparing in the tournament this thing could house the vytal tournament on its own!

Dozens upon dozens of seats sat arranged around a deep circular pit that unlike Beacons arena that was filled with even stone, this one was not filled with stone but _with sand._ With several large monitors and stereo's hanging above the pit for the audience to see the fighting.

They were told by Liz that combat was one of two mandatory classes here in Bastion the other being history. The school did offer other classes and it was _highly_ suggested though not mandatory that they enrolled in said classes.

"That's only _if_ you want to stay alive," Liz said her uncaring voice like seared metal into Jaune's ear as she led them through the building. "And by voluntary, I do mean voluntary though, you do not have to take these classes by any means if you don't want to. Only if you want to remain breathing that is." She said with a clipped tone as they flowed the assistant.

They were also informed that like their old school there would be mandatory student versus student combat and missions outside of Bastion twice per week that they were expected to not only to complete but excel.

However, unlike Beacon, Bastion's arena fights went until one could no longer fight back and many fights often went to _the death_.

It was also said that you could attack another student in Bastion if you felt it justified enough, but if the fighting in _any way_ interfered with school actives the aggressors would be punished _severely_ for their actions.

Anything else was permitted long as it did not disrupt school activity or cause excess property damage anything was fair game including but not limited to _murder, theft, assault, and harassment_ and anything else that you thought was reasonable was loo so long as it does not disrupt the school proper anything was perfectly acceptable... they just had to be careful.

After the tour, they were led to their room where Liz unlocked the door before giving the key to their leader as she turned to Jaune "Just so you know..."

She began before almost biting her tongue in annoyance. "I am _technically_ the dean of this Academy so as is my job I am _obligated_ to tell you that should you have any problems adjusting or acclimatizing to the school to please come and find me before you do anything _rash."_

Jaune was about to reply his thanks at her offer of assistance and the genuine sincerity he thought he heard from her. Then she spoke again.

"That being said!"

Her voice had suddenly reached demonic levels of intensity as a wave of sweat washed over Jaune's face as his clothes were instantly soaked with sweat as he spoke he swore with each line uttered the air temperature skyrocketed in degrees.

"If you ever come to my office with anything less than an absolutely vital situation, there will be severe consequences. If you come to me for help and someone is not currently dead or dying or on fire! I guarantee you by the end of it _you_ will be."

She glared at them her hateful blood eyes regarded them each like they were slabs of meat on the rack. Jaunce flinched as her hateful stare hit him, Ruby trembled and whimpered under the gaze, Kage kept her glare but didn't make a move and Mika…

Mika just smiled and chirped not giving a damn about the tense atmosphere in front of her. "That said welcome to Bastion _I do hope you enjoy your stay,"_ Liz said before bidding them farewell and leaving them to their room.

* * *

The room was the polar opposite his back in Beacon. The walls were smooth windowless things were made out of that granite that the school was so fond of.

With four beds spread out evenly across the room, Jaune saw the room was lit by four torches hanging at even intervals across the room the low crackling of the light brought a strange sense of discomfort to the young man.

As he looked up the light did not seem natural, it almost seemed _forced?_ Like the light was merely a passerby and the rooms pure rock insides seemed to want to return the room to the darkness it originated from before being mauled by the hands of humans.

The other factor and far more interesting one if he was, to be honest, was the nature of the room itself. From the door whose hinges were bolted from the inside that opened outwards to the sloped nature of the walls. That was perfectly smoothed down with a trace or blemish of the rough rock they had once been.

As he looked further he was the beds were arranged in such a way that they could each easily be used as cover to anyone behind them.

The very entrance to the room wreaked of defensive planning as it forced them into the room never really allowing more than four people the number of their team easy entry at any time.

The room also had some type of indentation on the floor that wasn't large enough to use as cover but made anyone running inside an unaware of the room very likely to trip and fall.

Besides this, there was also the scattering of furniture around the room making it glaringly obvious that it was poised to give the inhabitants a clear line of sight of any intruders as the door would be forcing anyone who came into the room into a wide open vantage point where they would be wide open and exposed to the defenders.

The room was a defender's wet dream. Perfectly designed for prolonged defense and lengthy attack. Jaune took note of this and dismissed it as food for thought we'll deal with that aspect of the room once I figure out a way out of here.

 _"Home sweet home,"_ Kage said as they walked in their dorm room Were home! Mika said happily as she walked into their room before sprinting to a bed at the far corner I'll take this one! She said before Kage chuckled and took the one next to her.

"This isn't our home," Ruby said dejectedly as she crawled to the bed where Jaune had both his shield and sword. "I know Ruby it's not Jaune said as he comforted his friend.

" But we will go back to Beacon after this me and you will both go back home together!"

"And an Arc never goes back on their word." Ruby finished before flashing him a smile as she did. It can't get that much worse, can it? I mean we're stuck in a school full of murderers and sociopaths how can our day get any worse!?

"Cigarette?" Kage suddenly appeared in form of Jaune holding a white carton full of pale sticks up to him.

"Yes, please!" Mika said from the far side of the room before he tossed her a stick. She jumped from her bed as she deftly caught it shouting "Thanks!" Before returning to her bed. Kage smiled before he turned his brown eyes to Jaune.

"Want one? They're' _Vacuoan slims._ " Kage asked enticingly holding up the box to his leader's pale face.

"No thanks, I'm good..." Jaune said never once being good at dealing with peer pressure but cigarettes were a road he did _not_ want to go down.

As he politely refused his newest team member "suit yourself." Kage shrugged not put off in the slightest by Jaune's rejection of tobacco.

"What about you little red? You want to taste the dessert?"

"What?!" Ruby's face nearly turned the color of her cloak as she stared at the boy. "Little Red?! Do you mean me?" She asked tucking into Jaune's side.

"No, I, meant the _other_ socially awkward girl in a red cape." He said with a slight grin making Ruby glare at him. " Seriously. Do you want a smoke?"

He asked again hold the carton to her. "I'll never take one of those"! Ruby said with stalwart defiance. "They taste disgusting!"

Kage laughed at this eating another of Ruby's infamous glares in the process. "Whatever you say, kid! But _trust me_ after your first mission or pit fight you'll be begging me for some!"

"He's right you know! You should just take some now and get it over with! That way your body will get used to them when it's healthy and not when it's bleeding!" Mika added happily form her own bed in the far corner of the room

"And Just so you know! I _will_ provide and of course give!" He said giving an exaggerated bow, "for I am a generous God!"

He said chuckling briefly before walking over to where Mika was sitting on her bed. Jaune watched in morbid curiosity as they huddled together before lighting their cigarettes using her flamers pilot light.

As the tow realized on the bad as two orange lights filled the room, the two leaned back as they blew puffs of some into the room.

"I won't _smoke ever!"_ Ruby said adorably as Jaune rolled his eyes before sitting down on his bed he was exhausted.

The stress of the mission was still fresh in his bones, His body felt like w wave of cement was pushed into his body and his limbs felt like pools of jello.

He had definitely overexerted himself and would need hours of sleep before-"Jaune?"

Ruby asked from his side. As the girl sat on his bed.

"Ruby?" Jaune replied dumbly as the small girl clung to his body. Her small hands once again digging into his side like they did on the bullhead. He had forgotten she was even here! As the small girl clung tightly to him.

"What's wrong Ruby?" He asked in his most comforting voice possible. "Can I… Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Normally this request form the girl would have made his mind stop and his heart burst.

An amalgamation of emotions would have well up inside him, ranging from happiness that she trusted him so much as to let him share her bed.

Fear from what Yang would do when she figures out Ruby had actually slept with a boy. Concern as to why his friend would make such an offer.

And finally, if he was to be perfectly honest a small minuscule but still exists a trace of desire. Ruby was a cute girl and he was despite his good manners and respect for others a teenager with hormones and needs.

But in this situation, he only felt calm as he nodded his head, "that's ok Ruby." He said with a smile as he laid down in his bed before scooting over making room for the smaller girl.

"You can stay here for tonight."

"Thank you..."

She said in her tiny shy voice before climbing into the bed and tucking her small body into his squirming for a few moments as she tried to get herself comfy. Luckily these beds were probably the sole improvement over Beacon.

The bed's in Bastion where infinitely softer and fluffier than the ones back home and despite their situation, Jaune had to fight the notion to nod off into slumber.

As Ruby finally got situated she mumbled an incoherent string of noises that Jaune took for her saying "good night."

Jaune said smiling at the small amount of normalcy in this otherwise chaotic day he replied to her in kind. "Same to you Ruby," he said before rubbing her head gently "good night…."


	5. Pillar one Beggars banquet

**AN. New chapter new characters, references to the best army!? Welcome to Bastion. part five beggars banquet**

* * *

Jaune was nervous. As he paced the room waiting to leave its relative safety. This was his first official day in Bastion. And he was already on a team assignment.

"Go to the armory? Where is that?" Jaune asked as he looked down to his scroll. Apparently, he hadn't completed the tour yesterday and the scroll was demand he go to the armory post haste.

"It's at the far end of the school; your scroll should give you directions."

The disinterested voice of Kage said as he laid on his bed. He had removed his bright red plate armor and was lying face down on the soft Bastion bed sheet while Mika poked his exposed back with a rather annoying finger.

"Well, that's descriptive," Jaune said sarcastically as he turned to walk out the door.

"Be careful!" Ruby added as he gave the young reaper a single nod as she poked her head out form the covers of their shared bed.

"Of course Ruby you have nothing to worry about. I' ll back in no time ok?" Jaune added as he opened the large door to their dorm and stepped outside in Bastion proper.

* * *

"Does somebody just leaves open the window here or something!?" Jaune said aloud as he neared what was supposedly the armory. As he walked, the cold, spiteful Bastion air had been stabbing under his armor and making him shiver viciously. As his teeth chattered making small clicking sounds as he found the large wooden door that his scroll deemed armory.

As he neared the door, he saw a poster next to it. The poster was some information display it had three shets of paper under it with the words, school-sponsored activities. It must be something like clubs.

Jaune a realized felling a little bit of normality return at his sighting. Even a school like Bastion was populated with regular kids, so focused they would have clubs!

As he looked through them, the clubs were organized akin to open handouts. With a large piece of paper detailing the basics of the clubs activities with small pamphlets hanging off them for membership information. Like the things, you would hang up to find a missing pet or list scroll on a street post.

Although only two of the clubs seemed to be attractive to Bastion students, the firs were the **Vanguards.** Apparently, an organization dedicated to ranged warfare, with the add-on of join for longer forge access times scrawled underneath it. Was access to the Bastion forge limited? Was there set time for students based on skill level or time or wait? Jaune wondered a he looked at the nest piece of paper.

The next part was only called **staff.** And was apparent doing different jobs ars school for room privileges. Whatever the hell that meant.

The last one however truly grabbed Juanes attention for unlike the other ones its application numbers were full. In fact, it even looked like someone had stapled an application _back_ to the main piece after they took it. As Jaune read the words join the **Death Korps,** for better meal rations printed dully on the paper in dark ink.

Apparently, _no one_ wanted to enter the **Death Korps?** He thought as he turned to go into the armory.

"Here goes nothing," Jaune muttered to himself as he pushed against the door as it swung open.

* * *

"Hello?" Jaune asked as he saw a small hunched figure sitting in front of a large furnace working what he guess what was some type of a weapon. The Bastion armory was akin to a giant forge with various smelting and metal working facilities and racks upon racks of weaponry. Mostly assault rifles, but there was a smattering of all types of weapons on the small dark walls.

"Who are you?" The figure asked as it stood up. Jaune saw that without a doubt it was a female. She was his height with bright pink hair and a weapon that had to be a strange assault rifle halberd type as she coked her head at him.

"Jaune arc! The leader of team ARKM." Jaune added as the girl whose face was hidden behind a large metalworking pair of googles nodded once at him.

As she stares at him, Jaune noticed her skin was light, unusually light while not quite Mika levels of paper white it was still lighter than what you could be considered to be a healthy color. As she took off her goggles to reveal a perfectly symmetrical face and vibrant pink eyes.

"Krix, first-year member of team KRNL, pronounced _Kolonel._ Pleased to meet you." She added as Jaune saw the strange collar on her neck with the letter **R** printed brightly on it making him gulp as he stared at it

"I have a type of schizophrenia before you ask I am _no_ danger to you. At least not right now." Krix sad making Jaune remembers the **R.I.P.** table the was given...

* * *

"Now as a team leader, you will need this!" Ludo said to Juanebefre he could leave his office and continue with the Bastion tour. Jaune paused as Lucdo gave him a brightly colored tablet with the letters **R.I.P.** printed brightly on it.

As it turned out all students in Bastion were divided into three categories. WIth various subcategories divided among them depending on their individual needs of Rehabilitation, Initiation, or Punishment.

The **R** on the tablet stood for rehabilitation, it was for those with mental illness and required treatment before they returned to active hunter training, the **I** stood for iniation and was for students from the wilds her on their initial journey into huntsmen training, and the **P** was for those like himself. Criminals who were split into two subclasses, the usual and the _irredeemable_ ones.

Jaune and Ruby were currently listed in the **P** category for punishment. And they were not his eternal relief but under the regular category and not irredeemable.

As he looked through the tablet, a single though played through his mind. "Sir why are you giving me this information?" Jaune asked Ludo as his silver eyes glinted at him.

"It is your duty as a leader to look out for your team. And it is my duty as a headmaster to help you do that. Inside that data slate are the R.I.P. categories of all students at Bastion. With this use your tactics to navigate the school. Now, this information is confidential, and whether you share it with your teammates is entirely up to your discretion..."

"I wasn't star-" "It's ok. Honestly, I'd rather get this over with now then have it come back to bite me later on you know?"

As she spoke, she had a light, friendly tone to her voice that put Jaune at ease. She was his first student that he met at Bastion and he honestly had no idea what he was supposed to be expecting. But he was grateful that the first student was so polite, even after he looked at her collar...

The small black circle hung tightly against her neck and shone slowly as Jaune hers it;s mechanism working. Like her, he also wrote a collar, unlike her however since he was a P class student.

A criminal his collar was fitted with a real explosive dart that this time he was guaranteed were functional, while her collar since was a class R a student in need for rehabilitation was supplying her with a constant t supply of whatever medication's she needed to keep herself stable and combat ready.

"I've never seen you before are you new here?" Krix asked as she put her bizarre assault rifle hybrid on her lap as she sat on a metal table. Her bright white smock that she word covered up most of her downward appearance but Jaune was guessing she was wearing a skirt of some type.

"Yeah I just got here last night and I' m still getting used to the place. It's a lot to take in you know?"

"Totally. I was culture shocked when I found out this place even existed! I'm just glad I got a good team, and I'm getting help." She added before staring at Jaune;s collar making him gulp.

" It must be extra jarring for you huh? Being on your last run? Knowing if you fail her this is the end. I can;t even imagine the stress you must be under." Krix added as Jaune began to sweat as he looked at the tabled he carried in his hands.

* * *

"This carries all the personal information of every student at the academy?" Jaune asked the headmaster as he nodded calmly.

"Yes, it does. Usually, such knowledge is confidential, but Bastion does value it's student so all team leaders are giving this table so they can better know who they are dealing with. Inside are incredibly detailed files on every student in this academy _including_ yourself."

" What you do with this knowledge is _entirely_ up to you. You can meticulously go into every detail, or you can toss it away and never look at it again. Though I do suggest against that, we do have some rather _unusual_ cases here, and knowledge is half the battle after all."

As Jaune stared at the tablet, he saw the letters A.R.K.M. form at the top, and cold sweat gripped his body. "Sir does it also carries the information for my team?"

As he spoke a Chesire girn broke Ludo's face has he gleaned his unnaturally white teet in Jaune's general direction.

"Why of course it does. Why use would such a tablet if it didn't have the team leaders on teammates information on it?

"But sir isn't this an invasion of privacy?"

" Mister arc! You are too used to a polished school like Beacon! This is Bastion! Where knowledge comes at a premium, You would be doing not only yourself but your entire team a disservice if you did not at least look at the information cataloged there for yourself."

"Come on Mister Arc. Take a look! What's the worse that you could discover? I mean you will be spending a long time in the company of these individual it would behoove you to know just exactly who or what will be watching you back, don't you agree?"

Jaune hated the headmaster as he walked to the armory. He was getting ready for his first class at Bastion when his school went of demanding all team leaders report to the armory for some reason.

As he walked down the still mysterious empty carved halls of Bastion Jauen ponder the table in his hand. In it was the most composed personal reports he had ever read about himself or anyone else and after his decision to read it made him wish he had burnt it.

There were four files for his team, and he had read them all starting with his own.

* * *

: **Subject Name Jaune Arc, Former team leader of team JNPR at Beacon Academy. Youngest of eight children son of Julius and Juniper Arc. Only Male of the previous Arc family besides the father.**

 **Current enrollment status Unique temporary Punishment class student. The subject is scheduled to transfer back to Beacon two weeks before the VYTAL tournament pending good behavior.**

 **Personality report: While the subject lacks much of the physical skill attributed to many hunters in training of his age, His tactical and strategic analysis are scored above his brightest classmates, and his tactical acumen was more than enough to bypass the hunter entrance exams despite his less than average physical capabilities.**

 **Reason for enrollment: Subject was an accomplice to the murder of one of Vacuo's top-ranked political entity. Although he did not commit the murder himself, he was found guilty by proxy and sentenced to death. Bastion negotiated with the Vacuoan government for his release into our custody and he now serves as a Team leader for ARKM.**

 **Unique perks or traits. The subject is known to have a knack for strategic and tactical cohesion. Often forming new and enigmatic plans and strategies on** **a moments notice.** **He also has what appears to be the beginning of a major depressive disorder. Although it is still too soon to tell.**

 **Lack of confidence in early life has led to critical personal doubts, and the subject now suffers from an extreme sense of inadequacy on all levels both physical and emotional. This has lead to an inferiority complex and isolation. Note subject is known to have limited underworld contacts. Though they are not relevant in his enrolment are irrelevant as a whole.**

 **Overall status temporary Punishment class Student pending transfer.**

The hell!? Jaune thought angrily as he read his file they don't know me! He seethed as he flicked to the next folder the one called Ruby Rose...

 **Subject name Ruby Rose: Former team lead of team RWBY. The youngest child of Tai-Yang Xiao-Long. The only current daughter of Summer Rose. Hunter graduate of Beacon. Current staus alive and living with husband and partner. Only sister of Yang- Xiao Long Daughter of Raven Brawnen. Both alive and living on the island of Patch.**

 **Personality report: Subject is young, accepted into Beacon years ahead of her peers on personal recommendation from Ozpin. She is known to have a carefree personality that shows in her trusting nature. This is a remnant of her rather sheltered and rather isolated upbringing. Though the subject is enrolled, they are still young and might lack the maturity required of Bastion's students.**

 **Reason for enrollment: Subject was convicted of Murdering Vacuoan elite whom she was assigned to guard. Her reasoning for the killing was a mercy killing but the council of Vaacuo saw no reason to buy the excuse, and she was sentenced to death. Note:** **Unlike her peer and current team leader Mister Arc, Subject Rose was _not_ selected to join Bastion but instead was brought along as packaged requirement with Mister Arc.**

 **Enrollment status: Unique temporary class student pending transfer back to Beacon. The subject despite its uniqueness is still a regular Punishment class student. With the same rights and responsibilities as one. Note Subjects lack of world experience may prove pernicious on missions where hard decisions need to be made.**

Jaune was fixed, information on pulp he thought he knew flew past his fingertips as he went out the rest of his team.

 **Mika Smith Supposed daughter of a wealthy businessman, though that information is unconfirmed. Her origins are unknown even by Bastion's considerable information network. Any and all information on her life before Bastion has been redacted.**

 **Reason for enrollment: Multiple counts of first-degree murder, and assault on both civilians and hunters alike. Subject has committed several acts of offensive attacks form her to others with little to no provocation.**

 **Note: Subject is a unique case as she is a hybrid class of student, and is both in need of rehabilitation and punishment. Her various crimes while officially protected under her deteriorating mental health were so heinous that punishment was deemed necessary.**

 **Personality Report: Subject shows a complete and utter inability to show or feel empathy for any other creature including her self. While appearing superficially charming, that is merely a ruse she uses to get others to lower their guard around her.**

 **The subject is known to have extreme and abrupt mood swings ranging from what appears to be genuine care and affection to excessive displays of rage and anger.**

 **Subject shows a predilection to dispensing sadism and physical pain. The subject also has no comprehension of the effect her actions have on others. Or if she doses, she simply dose not care to recognize them and is know to continually violate the rights or space of others, violating and harming her peers for little or no reason.**

 **: Note in addition to the various mental issues subject also has an odd neurological disorder. Subject suffers from a rare case of congenital analgesia, the inability to feel physical pain.**

 **This condition is rare enough on it's own but is compounded by the fact while she can not fell pain she can feel pleasure if fact the only physical feeling she can experience at least physically speaking is pleasure, which has made her almost inert to it.**

 **We believe that this inability to fell physical pain herself has rendered her insulated and uncaring to the pain felt by others.**

 **Subject neither processed nor feel empathy or sympathy in any regards for other humans or animals.**

 **The one exception to this rule is her current partner Kage. The single person she has any connection with and the only entity who she appears to show some empathy for. The reason is unknown for this bond, but they have paired together often for it.**

 **Note: Any and all medication that was used to treat her psychosis has failed. Her psychosis which is believed to be several forms of unknown classes of schizophrenia, and a possible case of Antisocial personality disorder.**

 **Enrollment status:**

 **Mika Smith's is enrolled as a part of Team ARKM she is to complete her semester with her team before being evaluated and potentially released to another hunter academy.**

 **Note: Team ARKM is not her first team. The subject has been on two separate teams prior to her current status. Both of the previous times her time on the teams ended rather abruptly with her murdering her fellow teammates for to quote "stealing time form Kage away from her."**

Jaune froze as he read the information. She killed her other team members!? Jaune felt a cold hand grip his heart as he flicked to the last of his dorm mates.

 **Subject Venke Kage. Ex Vacuoan military. Subject is known to have strong principles of honor and service,** held **over from his time in the military. Orphaned as a child record of his Parent are scare to none. Joined the Vacuoan army soon as possible and was there until his discharge and recruitment into Bastion.**

 **Reason for enrollment: Treason. SUbject abandoned pst in hostile combat operations and murdered their superior officer in a combat setting. He then fled the scene. Subject dispatched several Vacuoan hunters before being brought down by a Bastion team on a nearby mission. The subject was told to join Bastion or be sent back to Vacuo for trial.**

 **He chose to join and is now a Punishment class student. Note: Subject was not designate a hybrid class student, even though it was confirmed he has a severe case of Borderline personality disorder. Hybrid admission was dismissed after it was shown that despite the intensity of the disease it was not debilitating of his combat or societal performance, so he was given a standard Punishment class instead.**

 **Personality Report: Subject appears not to have much in the way of a personality. He pe prefers to us cold logic, and sheer pragmatism makes his decisions. Outside of some ornamental designs to his armor subject show little or no individualism beside thriving in combat. The subject does display disturbing levels of apathetic behavior and thought.**

 **While not a danger to his peers directly, he often shows little to no empathy for those suffering around him and will ignore anything that is not a direct danger to himself. Reson for this extreme apathy is unknown, so no medication had been issued.**

 **Note subject is the only student in Bastion capable of bonding with Mika Smith and is her perpetual partner. She is also the only student he seems to care for and protect actively. Reasons for their relationship is unknown, and despite our best efforts, he is the only stabilizing factor in her life.**

There was more. Notwithstanding the deluge of knowledge, these tablets held everything! Every piece of awareness of every student int he school was his fingertips, as Jaune looked through them all...

"It's not so bad!" Jaune added trying to thor Krix off this subject, but she smiled and grinned.

" I know it must be hard being on the Punishment class, But I;m sure you'll pull through alright. Or you die the either way we should get out of here. We've been alone long enough, despite being a school as it is bastion is still a school and trust me in Bastion rumors fly..."

* * *

The food was an abomination. It had the consistency of cardboard and the tases of rubber. As team ARKM ate at the crowded Bastion cafeteria as they all tired of swallowing their thick bland food.

"Oi! You're Jaune, right? _The one who's trying to fuck the schizo right?_ Wouldn't do that if I were you mate. That's a nasty business I'll tell you what!"

The boy in front of Jaune named Zach said as he chewed his food loudly. The boy was sitting directly across from him with two bright green pistols resting in front of his plate. He was rude, brash and blunt with raven colored hair brown eyes and that unhealthy pale skin Bastion seemed to give all its students.

"It's like I'm always telling Kage here! Not that he listens! Don't put your dick in crazy! It's just like I've been telling Kage his entire life! Not that he ever listens to me you miserable bastard!" Zach shouted to Kage who looked as uninvolved and uninterested with the conversation as when he was shooting down a charing Ursa Major.

"You always tell me this huh? Funny I don't even remember your name." Kage said as he stared at the boy the possible ghost of a smile forming on his lips as he did.

"Oi quite it with the I'm so depressed and need help show! You can take you borderline whatever, and your bull shit semblance away from here! I'll tell you what!" Zach spat at Kage who only put down his fork.

"What's you semblance Kage?" Ruby who was doing her best to avoid the conversation, her preference to avoid social contact only worsen by the rude boy in front of her as she asked from his right. Making him crack her alone eyebrow one of his brown eyes staring questioningly at the young reaper.

" OH! OH! I'll show you! It's really cool!" Mika said as she reached to where Zach was sitting and grabbed one of his green pistols from his side.

" Hey watch the merchandise!" He yelled as she grabbed the gun and checked it for ammunition.

" Mika I know what you are going to do but please don't- Kage never finished that sentence as Mike aimed the gun towards him and shot him in the face at point-blank range.

 _BANG!_ The gun sounded loud as Kage's head jerked violently backward blood splattering from his head before he smacked viciously into the cafeteria table. Shacking it with the concussive force.

* * *

"You killed him!?" Jaune balked as he looked at the dead body of his new teammate a look of pure shock and disgust on his face.

" Of course, not silly Just you- "King Dammit!"

the boy of Kage yelled as he suddenly sat back up with his forehead apparently completely undamaged and yelling about his leg.

"What the hell just happened?!" Jaune demanded as Kage began berating Mika.

"It's his bullshit semblance that's what it is! He takes whatever damage is done to his body no matter what it is, is transferred to his right leg! So long as he has aura the only part of his body that can be injured is his right leg! He's bloody immortal I say!" Zach spat as Kage gripped his leg tightly.

" I am _not_ immortal! And I wish you people would stop trying to kill me already!"

" Don't be a spoilsport!" Zach said before the voice spoke from his left.

"Kage said he does not like it when we shoot him. So I do not think we should continue to do it." The voice of reason at the table and Bastion's own version of Yang spoke up.

She was easily half a foot taller than Jaune with the creamy tanned skin he knew was native to those form Vacuo. She wore a thin form fitting type of black body armor and had to tow massive red gauntlets with what looked to be pneumonic drills on their ends. Only one look at the weapons and Jaune already had no intention of being on the receiving end of.

"Oi, you don't get an opinion, Hino! You are another Vacuoan, of course, you have his back. But I Know the game! You are just mad that he won't screw you! You're just trying to push him down and ride his dick like a stallion! I know your tricks, and I Know-

Whatever else he knew was never said as a light brown fist crashed into his face so hard it sent him flying off the table throwing him off of the table and slamming into the cold floor of Bastion with a sickening _THUD_!

" I _apologize_ for my teammate's lack of tact. He is young, and a thief, please forgive him.' The girl sad as eyed Jaune directly as her brown eyes threatened to overwhelm his sense of self as he stared into them.

She was _literally_ Yang sans puns. Her towering features tanned skin light regal face and absolutely massive arms with biceps the size of his legs and a pair of equally muscled legs to match.

"My name is Hino. You may call me Hino. Call me anything else and you will _die_." The girl declared as she crossed her arms as Zach dragged himself up from the floor.

"Why you!" He began before spitting up blood as his black punishment collar swayed to his left. As Jaune turned he saw the lack reminder he took notice of his own, in fact, the entirety of-of table had Punishment collars on making them all criminals.

"Let's break the ice," Hino said with a calm smile. " We can play the favored Bastion greeting game of stating what the hell brought you into this living hell of a school. And since we are all wearing punishment collars there should be some good stores to tell!"

"Since it was my Idea I will start us off. My name is Hino I use to live in Vacuo all my life until I joined the army with Kage over there. We served together until the battle oh hill 879 where after a decisive battle our CO was killed standing the unit. Afterwards, here Kage went AWOL, and I followed making me a deserter. "

"I am currently a first-year Punishment class student of team- "don't tell these bastards our team name! You'll open us up to shake down at three in the bloody morning!"

Zach added as he climbed his way back to the table face matted with dry and wet blood as his aura worked to repair his wounds.

* * *

"Names Zach, don't ask for my last name you won't get it. I was a thief who got the most unlucky luck streak this side of Mistral. I got caught stealing from the Mistral elite, and after killing a couple of their best guards, I got stuck in a warehouse in the shittier parts of the Mistral capital. And trust me when I say the shittier parts of Mistal which are just a shitty place in general, you can trust me when I say they are _godawful."_

"This place made the worst slums in Vacuo look like a damned palace in comparison! Anyway, there I was surrounded by the bloody cops waiting to go out guns blazing before low and behold! Guess who showed up to save my sorry ass. None other then Ludo himself shows up with an offer I _literally_ could not refuse! Now I'm in this hell hole with this deserter, a sociopath and a substance abuser for teammates!"

He said pointing to Hino who responded by merely grabbing the back of is his head and smashing it into the table, so hard Jaune saw _teeth_ fly out of his mouth.

 _WHAP! WHAP!_ Hino smashed his head repeatedly into the table never once letting up the pressure as the sounds of breaking bones filled the air a bright red puddle formed on his face before she gives it one last thrust ending her assault with a sickening _WHAP!_ As she smashed his face so hard he nearly bounced _off_ the table as he crashed into his plate of half-eaten food.

* * *

" _Ignore him_ he likes the sound of his voice," Hino said through a calming smile that set Jaunes blood to ice.

" OH! OH! Me next! Me next! I want to share my story next!" Mika added happily making Kage sigh.

"Mika we aren't taking turns you can just- "I killed people!" Mika said happily making Ruby balk and Kage sigh. The rest of the table looked unimpressed as they stared at Mika.

"We all kill people! What makes you so special?" Zach asked as he spat a tooth out of his mouth along with a thin line of blood that splattered across the table making Ruby clutch Jaune's side with an iron like vice.

" I killed a lot of people! Mainly people who were mean to me, or rude or fat or had a bad haircut or who I just didn't like!" Mika added making Hino stare silently at her.

"Great just what we need _another_ bloody psychopath! I already got my hands full with this unhappy one now I got to deal with tow bloody head cases?! Fuck me!" Zach laments as he tried to rinse his mouth out with a cup of water.

"I- "You are an Oum damned traitor Kage! I've known you _all_ of my life, and I know you cut and ran because you felt like it!" Zach accused as shot a wad of crimson water back into his cup before setting it down on the table.

"I am _not_ a traitor!" Kage yelled in what was the first actual physical displays of emotion Jaune saw him show since meeting the boy.

"Hit a nerve did I?" You know how the saying goes right Kage? Nothing to hide nothing to fear right? If you not a traitor you wouldn't mind me calling you one right?"

"Say it one more time and see what happens." Kage seethed at him drawing out his second massive pistol from his belt.

"What are you going to do about it?" Zach asked as he grabbed his custom pair of guns and pointed one at kage.

"My name is Ruby! Ruby Rose! And I'm new here!" Ruby added in her awkward way of trying to stop a potentially lethal fight. Unfortunately, this also had the adverse effect of turning everybody's attention to herself as she did.

"Oi who let the kid in here? I didn't think we were running a daycare here in the middle of the ass end nowhere." Zach added as he acknowledged Ruby's existence for the first time.

"I'm not- " Her name is Ruby! And she's here because she murders a prince! She's a murderer just like me. In fact, we are _murder friends_ isn't that right Ruby?" Mika added happily make Ruby's small form suddenly quake in ager.

" I did not kill- " Which one?"

Hino asked as she interrupted Ruby with a curious expression. " There are several Vacuoan princes, and since I have been away for some time, I would like to know which one is dead. Rest assured that I bear you no ill will for your actions." Hino said calmly as Ruby eyed her carefully.

"I mercy killed the fifth Vacuoan prince," Ruby added making Hino's face drop.

"Excuse me did you say you killed the _fifth_ Vacuoan prince? I don't think I heard you right." Hino added as her brown eyes bore holes into her.

"And he helped her! That's Jaune! He's our new team leader. He's from Beacon academy and is here for being a proxy to the murder!" Mika added making Jaune a cough up a glass of water as Zach looked at him.

"So you didn't kill him eh? I knew it, you don't have the stomach to kill someone. I can tell just by looking _you are weak_." Zachary stated boldly before aloud ring n sound filled the air.

BRING! The sudden ringing of scrolls set the table a buzz as the entirety of team ARKM was called into the headmaster's office for an emergency team meeting. After a rather tense goodbye the, group of students left each other to their own business...

* * *

 _"STOP! THAT HURTS!"_

 _" Shut it freak!"_ A loud voice yelled as team ARKM walked to the headmaster's office. " At least some things never change," Jaune said sadly as he watched a groupie if students bullying another student in the Bastion hallways.

" Some people make me sick! How can you bully somebody just because they're a little bit different than you!?" Mika said a girl as she watched the Bullies.

" You don't like bullies either?" Ruby asked her face full of shock at her and Mika agreeing on something for once.

" Of course not! How could I ever approve of someone hurting another person just based on something as superficial as Looks? Especially when they have this cute fox ears!"

" So you don't mind the Faunus?" Ruby asked impressed by Mina's apparent tolerance of the group.

" Of cause I don't mind them! How could you hate any group that looks so cute!? Mika asked as Jaune gave her his first genuine smile.

" I'm glad to know you're not a racist," Jaune said as he felt Kate grabs him from behind.

"Don't encourage it." Kate hissed as he watched Mika talking to Ruby.

" It's hard enough" to deal with her as is, I don't need you encouraging her hobby any more than necessary ok?" Jane asked making Jaune frown.

" Listen here Kate I may Amy not have been on this team very long, but as team leans an as a person I will _not_ stand for any racism or intolerance on my I make mself-clearar?" Jaune said in his actual fearless leader voice as Kage raise him alone eye bo his twin light brown eyes staring at him in mild confusion

" I'm _not_ racist, too lazy, hate costs energy, and I don't like paying. Secondly, trust me on this. You ever heard of a Faunusphobe? Well, she's a _Faunusphile_! And believe me! When I say that it is _not_ a good thing."

Kage said with sheer determination as they pushed open the doors to the headmaster's office where Ludo sat behind his large desk fireplace growling figuratively and Liz growling literally. As they walked inside.

" Ah team ARKM my favorite new team. I hope you've gotten your feet wet for I have good news! Tomorrow will be your first mission as official students at Bastion! And I, picked out a _good_ _one_!"

* * *

Back at the cafeteria ...

"You catch that?" Hino asked Zach as they stared at the departing team ARKM. " _Sure did_ , would need to be blind to miss it." Zach responded all levity and briskness gone from his voice, replaced with a cold stelly edge.

" I'm from Mistral and I know for a fact. That there are only _four_ crown princes." Hino said as her light brown eyes regarded the departing team with plain mistrust and suspicion.

"And that girl said she killed the fifth?" Zach replied as they watched the team leave. a low whistle escaped his lips as he watched the team go.

" She sure did and that either means she is _woefully_ misinformed or hiding something... Somehting that might come to bite us in the ass if we are not careful. Shame though, she looked so innocent..."

"Ah crap! It's just like with Susie! We let that blade-wielding psycho in our dorm because we thought she was just a kid and she almost turned us all into sashimi! You think Ruby's like that? Another slasher taking the sympathy route right to our jugulars?"

" I have no idea. Up until we find out keep an eye on her ok? I don't want any more pint-sized surprises, all right? Killing one was bad enough let's not press our luck ok?"

" Sure thing, she won't leave my sight. And if I do find something suspicious on her... well then you know what the score is." Zach said as he tapped pistol to the side of his story of killing a prince didn't make a lick of sense. Did she expect us to believe that Vacuo would leave a damned kid in charge of safeguarding their crown price?

" DOn;t worry I'll make quick, I mean her story of killing a prince didn't make a lick of sense. Did she expect us to believe that Vacuo would leave a damned kid in charge of safeguarding their crown price?

Get real! Even if they are corrupt as all heel, their nobility is damned better equipped to protect itself then some random hunter in trained would ever be! And her saying that she killed the fifth crown prince? Sounds like a red herring to me, just like a one legged dog. And it's like what I always say about one legged dogs. _That_ _dog_ _don't_ _fetch._.."

 **AND Done! Another chapter of Bastion hot and ready for the presses. Thank you for everybody reading this thing, it means the world to me. The next arc is the first Bastion mission arc proper. So, stay tuned until then. See you lovely people next time. I'm out to write the next chapter for endangered species sleep be damned!**


	6. Pillar one Jumping Jack Flash

**AN: First real arc, gaed I love hat oc's with apassion.**

 **Ps" I loved that movie**

* * *

" _BIOPLASMA! BIOPLASMA! BIOPLASMA!"_ The loud, frantic voice of the fourth year students yelled viciously as a giant green ball smashed into a line of charging students melting them into puddles in an instant. As Jaune sprinted up the battered mud-filled hillside blue eyes wide and fearful as he observed the scene around him it was hellish.

The hillside was awash with light as a bolt lightning cracked down from the night sky illuminating the raging battle between Bastion's students and wild he printed up the hill he was pelted by large tennis ball sized droplets of rain. Each drop felt like he had been struck by a first as he sprinted the final yards and leaped for his life.

OOF! Jaune yelled as he fell on the strong organic barrier that was impeding their journey. It was a dark inky black construction. Organic in nature and resembling a black coral reef. As jaune felt the hard seemingly brittle structure. Ruby leaped onto the structure behind him as another fat drop of bioplasma careened from beyond the barricade smacking into the ground tearing a bullhead sized crater inside of it.

"We have to get past the barricades!" A voice shouted as Jaune struggled to see through the blinding rain. To his left, Kage sat idly on the barricade his red armor was slick with mud and filth while Mika patiently carved out a hole into the barricade with her hatchet.

As they laid there among the shouts, gunfire, hurling biological ordinance and the yelling of fighting and dying students around them on voice struck out harder and clearer than the rest. As the second half of students his the line. As a new line of students ran into the lien Jauen saw several carrying large plastic sack with groups of large long light green tubes sticking out of the students hit the line Jaune instantly went to help them as they worked quickly under the sheets of rain as they worked to unwrap their vital cargo.

"Bangolars!" A booming voice yelled as Jaune worked quickly with an I class student unwrap the long light green tubes from their protective casing before handing them out to the surviving students who put them inside drilled holes in the black wall. Dexterous hands quickly as they unwrapped and forced the object into the walls at predisposed locations alongside the barricade.

 _"Fire in the hole!_ " A voice yelled as Jaune and ruby cupped their ears as their world went white and the wall shuddered. Jaune was the first to get up and sprint for the walls, as he saw the aftershow of the explosions that had blown holes large enough to drive a truck through head been blown into the barricade as students began to spring inside.

Another bolt of lightning flashed across Jaune vision as he saw the things responsible for their current hardship. Spitter Grimm. There were three of them. Each a giant bloated monstrosity with small stumpy black legs and dark beady red eyes hovering over a little nasty mouth with long serrated teeth.

Although that was not what was their actual distinguishing feature. That went to the massive vat of organic plasma also know as bioplasma that they housed inside of themselves and hurled at approaching enemies.

As the student charged their enemy, the Grimm roared in defiance but they were too cumbersome to move as the lead spitter was struck on its side as its flesh ripped open, as the thin mucous membrane that housed its bioplasma reserves. Drenching a rather unfortunate initiate in translucent green plasma.

The unfortunate student let out a gargled scream as Jaune watched horrified as he saw his armor, clothes and then finally flesh dissolve into nothingness in front of his eyes before the initiate fell into a pool of goo.

Enraged by the loss of life Janue charged at the second spitter who fumbled vainly to get away from him stabbing its mucous membrane with Crocea Mons as the creature hissed in pain as Jaune ran in front of his bale spilling the things life essence out of it and onto the cold, unfeeling mud soaked ground.

As Jaune killed the spitter the remaining students swarmed the remaining two and quickly dispatched them securing the hillside for Bastion.

* * *

As the last Grimm feel " _I want cables!"_ A large towering fourth-year student yelled as he shouted to the assembly Bastion students. The students listened instanly as they dragged up large slive platforms and worked tirelessly as the rain pelted down on them. In thick sheets of water the size of first nearly knocking some of them over as they drug, built and strung up their tools.

As Jaune looked on with the students as he looked dead down into the pitch black yawning maw of the crater that housed their objective.

Their objective here was to destroy a Grimm nest that had grown too large in recent days, and they were sent to exterminate every last one of them. As Jaune with kage's help hauled up a large silver hook that was soon tamped into the ground with large silver steaks as ropes were hauled up to it here being stung up and stung up on it.

"All right! You all know what we're here so let's get to it!" The loud voice of the fourth year student yelled and the rain pelted off his silver combat armor. He was a tall boy with suntanned skin and a bald head. As he pointe to the student." C'mon I wanted us down there yesterday!" The boy yelled as Jaune and Kage nodded to each other silently Blue eyes meeting brown as they hooked themselves into the ropes and descending into the yawning mouth of darkness.

* * *

It was pitch dark as Jaune rappelled down into the cavernous depths of the Grimm hive. The wind had stopped, and the cavern was suspiciously quiet. As he kicked off the wall, the thing made a wet _squelching_ sound as the foreign organic material that the walls ware coated with attempted to hold his boots to itself making Jaune's stomach heave.

As he rappelled down his saw a flash of red above him as he saw Ruby doing the same thing above him to the right and Kage was somewhere below him. Knowing How to rappel apparently, he had gone down first and was below Jaune at that point. Jaune head no idea where Mika was. As all around him, the falling black shapes of students rappelling down into the cavern chasm filled his vision.

As he forced his way off another particularly sticky part of the wall Jaune was grateful that the biting rain could finally no longer reach him as his armor and hoodie were both thoroughly soaked with rainwater, his entire ensemble of clothing was drenched and stuck to his skin with tenacious determination as the wet cloths bite into his skin.

As the sound of falling velcro and plastic filled the air Jaune remembered the plan. It was a simple plan really their impromptu leader _Horatio_ or something Jaune thought guessing the bald student's name. He had quickly assumed direct control of the mission instructing the other students on setting up and fixing the large rappelling hooks onto the crater that led into the Grimms next. _Horatio_ had demanded that roughly eighty percent of the attack force would rappel down the hole into the hive with the goal of exterminating the Grimm within while the remain twenty percent mostly I class hunters would secure the top preventing any remaining enemies from encircling them and trapping them within the hole.

As Jaune descended the dim light of the initial rappeler base camp came to his field of vision as his journey ended as he steps his feet off the thick sickening slick, sticky walls and onto the equally treacherous base.

"Finally!" Jaune said as he stepped off the walls onto the floor, as he unhooked his cable nodding to the anchor at the ground as the cable zipped off to the top of the hive to ferry down an additional student.

"Alright everybody listens up!" Horatio called out as the gathered student of the attack force finally descended down and were now gathered in the dim made lighting of the base of the hive.

" Ok everybody I know this was a rough start, but we got this far so we can do the rest. I want to belay any fears of the mission being too hard for you right now; I will have you know that everybody here was selected by me because you bring something to the table. Whether it be ranged weaponry, tactical awareness, sheer talent or merely another body to throw into the grim you all have a job to do, and I expect you to do it!"

Horatio said as he stood by and a long cavernous piece of earth that led into a winding cavern of caves and pathways that led into the heart of the hive. "Here's how it's going to work. Initiation class student will make the individual caverns for demolition. I'm going, being honest with you there will be Grimm in these tunnels, and there will be _a lot_ of them here. Luckily!"

For once we actually have a detailed description of the bastards. Today's special guest that will no doubt though not if I can help it, having us for dinner are called _cacklers!_ They are bipedal monsters around nine to twelve feet tall, long arms with serrated claws and a dog like a snout with very long teeth!"

"Remember _Cacklers_ are a bit _strange_ when compared to you basic grim as these things can mimic human speech! They can recall what hunters of humans they fight say and will repeat that last thing they heard from their victims. That and laughing like mad if they have yet to kill a human recently

Whether or not they are actually _speaking_ to you or only trying to shake your moral is unknown so if you hear any talk that is _not_ from a recognized source or is not coming from a place we know do not listen and act with caution. These things are ambush predators by nature and will take advantage of it."

"Cacklers are a rare breed are their desperate _cries_ for help tend to lure countless civilians to their deaths in the wilds very year. So we're here to clean out their hive. We dealt with the colonies defense the spitters, and now we just have to clear out the main tunnels while the Initiate Class blows the side ones before we finally clear the main cavern and collapse it."

Horatio said as he smashed a fist into his palm. "If there are any questions ask them now if not, we are going to file out by rank. I Want _punishment_ first years up front followed by second years of either class while I handle things back here making sure the initiates know how to blow the damned tunnel with taking us down with them."

Horatio said waiting for a question form his gathered group. Jaune stared hard at him trying to find a glaring flaw in the strategy. While he did not want to go in the front, he saw no issue with it, and the plan seemed sound.

Horatio was detailing how they would make a strong push into the chasm clearing out any Grimm they can find until their scrolls told them they reached the central cavern of the area. At that point, they would rig that cavern to blow, and the inmates would blow the enter substructure of the hive collapsing it and burying any remaining Grimm under a mountain of rubble. It was a sound plan, and Jaune only nodded as Horatio nodded once before dismissing them as the group moved out.

* * *

"The hell is this place?" Jaune asked his group as they walked through the dark caverns of the mountains. Jaune was immensely grateful that they were now on solid rock instead of the terrifying organic material from before. As he heard the sound of rocks crumbling under his boots as he leads his team down a tunnel. It was a maze of winding labyrinth like tunnels with shifting corridor with some minor holes int there ids the raged form door sized to minivan size all covered in pitch darkness.

"Abandoned mine shafts. Place used to be a major mining complex before the grim overran it. Some of these tunnels are reminiscent form then." Kage replied in the same monotone vice Jaune head come accustom to hearing from his teammate and friend? Jaune was still unsure where he and kage stood on their friendship level.

I mean Kage head been friendly enough but he seems so distant and unwilling to make connections beyond what was necessary to function, making it hard for Jaune to get a good read on him.

As he turned his head to see his red armors new added shoulder lamp illuminating the pitch black tunnels with a sickly yellow light as the walked through an abandoned mine shaft. Unfortunately, the first years had drawn the short sick of being the ones to map out the possible routes to the main cavern.

Their group had walked around for a few minutes of the barely illuminated tunnels before the first of three paths head been shown to them. From here the scrolls were equipped with a mapping app that would echolocate the tunnels as they walked through them so upon arrival the rest of the group would know the quickest most efficient route to the main cavern.

Which meant that the already diminished group of first years had been split again in three this time as the majority of the punishment first years were told to wait for them topside.

Apparently, the first year's punishment class students had somewhat of a reputation for being _less than reliable_ in a fight somewhat about saving their skins before anyone else's and refusing to follow orders, so they were usually either left behind or sent to the front on the dangerous but not critical roles.

Apparently newly minted criminals who are being forced to battle against their own will did not take well to orders of any kind, _who knew?_

Jaune asked himself as he moved through the tunnels. The dark blue pulses from his scroll telling that it was mapping the tunnels for them. As they walked their shoes kicked up puffs of air illuminated by the light from either Kage's chest light or one of the lamps on his heavy pistols, the only light source for their current mission.

Mika had suggesting rather in a rather un Mika like manner that they use their scrolls built-in flashlight app for light. This was acutely a good idea an unexpected suggestion from the girl Jaune viewed with mistrust and vague suspicion. He had vetoed the idea as the damned flashlight function tended to eat up power like it was going out of style. And since they had no idea just how long they would be down here he would rather them keep their scrolls at full.

"This is taking forever! Why can't we go any faster?" Mika asked as she tossed her flamethrower over her shoulder like a nap sack. Holding the medium-sized weapon on her shoulders as her thin form was barely illuminated as her paper like skin barely stood out in the darkness of the mine shaft.

"You'll just have to wait like _everyone_ else," Kage said as he ignores his friend's complaint.

"BAH! Where's the fun in that?" Mika said as she spits in annoyment as she looked left and right the dust from the floor was collecting on her collection of furs like a thin layer of snow.

"I can scout ahead if that would make any difference." Ruby offered, thinking of her speed. Sprint at super speed in a dark unknown territory with any number of large dangerous an unknown Grimm? "That's a bad idea, Ruby," Jaune said as he went to stop the reaper form making a potentially fatal mistake.

"No it's fine I can do it!" Ruby said trying to sound helpful went about trying to stop her _it happened._

It happened so fast he couldn't even react as one second ruby was standing there in front of them barely illuminated by Kage's shoulder lamp the next thing Jaune knew she as gone. Kicking and screaming as a large black shape bore her down Jaune froze. As Ruby screamed for her life as slobbering jaw and arm length claws ripped at her throat. As kage's flashlights desperately tried to get a bead on it

"Get out of the way! I Can't get a shot!" kage shouted as the thing clawed at Ruby, Jaune felt himself leaping forward drawing his sworn as he drew his sword and lunged at the Grimm.

SCHLK! A blur of white come from his left as Mika let up and planted her axe into the creature's throat decapitating it in one strike and sending her axe straight into the cavern floor.

"AHH!" Ruby screamed as she desperately pushed the grime off of her shaking terribly as she unfolded her weapon to is sniper front. Despite her claim to the contrary _Crescent Rose_ was not suited for close-up tunnel fighting.

"You ok?" Mika asked helping Ruby up to her feet as the quicken reaper looked traumatized the disappearing monstrosity.

'The hell was that!?" Jaune asked as he poked the thing with his sword. It was a tall creature that walked on two legs with thick leathery skin. It had two thickly muscled arms two and two equally muscled legs with long reaching arms with equally large hands that had claws stretching about a quarter of its arm's length out.

Its face was resembling that of a feral dog. WIth a long snout and long sharp teeth as it disappears Jaune swore that he heard the thing _laughing_ "that was a cackler." Kage said as he shines his sickly yellow lamps on it, " And a damned big one if I have to say so myself" Kage admitted as the monster vanished Jaune instantly went to see Ruby.

"Ruby are you ok!?" Jaune asked as the small girl instantly shot herself out of Mika's grasp and jumped into his arms. "Jaune!" Ruby shouted as the smalls girl quacking form leaped into his arms holding him closely. Jaune had to grimace internally as despite her small stature Ruby agave some truly terrifyingly strong hugs.

As the young reaper lept into his arms. " I really do not want to break up your moment, but we need to keep moving." Kages said as he pointed his yellow lights around them defensively "I really do not want to wait in a dark enclosed tunnel for another damned cackler it comes and try to make me lunch alright?" Kage asked as Jaune nodded before ordering them into a wedge formation and pushing further down into the tunnel system.

* * *

 _"What in the world?"_ Jaune asked as they stepped into the mouth of a cavern his scroll said was the main one. As the group walked in this cavern unlike the other tunnel was well lit with a bright blue light and seemingly in pristine condition as they walked inside of it. "It's a type of bioluminescent algae. It grows naturally on the walls here and gives the mine its light." Mika explained to him as they stepped into the large cavern.

There was a massive support pillar holding up a ceiling that was anchored on an island of bedrock in the middle of a yawning chasm. The pillar was the target and was a massive piece of rock holding up the large cavern; it was what their scrolls marked it for destruction.

Taking down the pillar would collapse the entire support system and send the whole mountain falling in a titanic cave in.

"Let's go!" Ruby shouted as she used her speed to run out the central column as Jaune herd his scroll beep in confirmation that they had reached their destination and would begin sending information back to their group, they should be here sometime until then Jaune simply had to have his team wait it out.

As Ruby dashed forward to the pillar. 'I'll look out for her."Kage said as he shrugged his shoulders as a sigh left his lips as he trotted off after the hyper reaper.

"That's surprising…" Mika murmured staring at Kage as he sauntered after Ruby disappearing form.

"What's surprising?" Jaune asked as they both began to walk down the long road to the island.

"Kage is being _really_ nice to Ruby. I never thought he would." Mika admitted to him as the pair walked side by side.

"Why wouldn't Kage be nice to Ruby?" Jaune asked making Mika smile widely as she flashed her green eyes on him and showed off her perfect white teeth.

"Because she's a girl duh!" Mika said as she giggled softly making Jaune frown.

"Are you saying that Kage doesn't like women?" Jaune asked making Mika skip two steps ahead and turning blindingly fast to face him stopping on a dime

"No way! He's a verified Misogynist! The fact that he's acting so nice Ruby Is _really_ strange!" Mika sad in her perpetually peppy tone of voice making Jaune pause.

"Wait if he is a misogynist then why is he so nice to her?"

"Beats me! Although I am rather _irked!_ By it, he's only supposed to be nice to me! _Not some random charlatan!"_ Mika hissed through gritted teeth.

Before he could ask any more question Jaune realized de need to say something far more important first. "Mika about back in the tunnels… What you did saving Ruby's life thank, I wanted to say thank you an-"

" No _problemo_ mister boss man! It's what _best friends_ do after all!" Mika said making Jaune felt a cold tendril drip around his neck like a slimy appendage.

" _Best friends?_ When did you and Ruby become best friends?" Jaune asked cautiously not wanting to anger her or irk her in some way that put Ruby in harm's way. He had read the girl's psych profile and it was not good reading. Especially the whole _murdered_ her past teammates part as the girl in question coked her head to him.

"What do you mean Jaune? Me and Ruby have _always_ Been best friends! Ever since we first met! It was true friendship at its best!" Mika added making Jaune nod in agreement. I don't think Ruby thinks so but that a battle for another day. Preferably when our lives are not on the line, and we are in a more public area.

"What do you mean he's a misogynist? I don't think he is." Or at least he hasn't shown anything to me to demonstrate that he was a sexist. Jaune asked making the girl smile in a way the steadily unnerved him.

Mika had that ability on her to make the brightest friendliest smiles that made you feel welcomed but having the _distinct_ feeling that a hand was steadily creeping up behind your back holding a kitchen knife.

" Oh that's a _long story!_ And a fun one as well! Long story short he's had some bad run-ins with women in the past _mainly me!_ That shaped his vision of them!

Miak added before speaking again. "It's what I Like about him so much! It's fun know how much your partner loves and hates you simultaneously! "

The girl said as the made it to the island

"Mika, are you an Kage _together?"_

"Nope! But it's not like I'm not trying you know!? I practically throw myself at him every chance I get you know what he doses? He ignores me! Can you believe that Jaune!? He ignores _me_ , Mika Smith, in fact, he's paid more attention to Ruby in the past two days than he ever did me!" Mika added, and before Jaune could talk, he found an axe on his jugular and Mika glaring at him the joviality in her eyes gone replaced by a cold malice that chilled him to the bone.

" I do _not_ want her getting _any_ about him Boss. Kage is _my property._ He belongs t _o me_. Make sure she knows that okay?" Miak added before returning to her natural happy go luck self as beckoned him forward.

"Come on! Come on! _There's so much to look at!_ " Mika added as Jaune walked to join them he file like his legs were made of led.

* * *

"All right, people lets get this thing rigged to blow so we can all go home!" Horatio said as he watches the lines of I class students rigging he supports column. As he watched, Jaune was busy applying a heightened vigil to Mika as she hung around Kage's should swinging her legs back and forth as she smiled a laughed making Kage just look annoyed.

"Are you ok Jaune?" Ruby asked as she came up to her best friend. "You seem tense is it the mission? If it is I think you're doing a great job as a leader! Our team is even acting like a team!" Ruby added making Jaune felt his heart freeze. Before he could tell her to give Kage some space and look out for Mika he heard it… At first was just a background noise. Something that was a rising irritant but not it was growing louder an louder, an ow Jaune could hear it. Clearly, it was laughter…

"The hell?" Jaune asked aloud as what was something he swore was mere background sound now manifest itself to the drowning sound of _human laughter._

"AHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAH"" the sounds came and bounced off the walls making Jaune griped his sword and shield.

"The heel!? This should be impossible!" Horatio cursed as he gripped his scroll.

"Topside do you copy? Topside do you read me!? Shit!" Horatio spat as he tossed his scroll to the ground. "What's going on?" Jaune asked him as the tall fourth year turned to face him.

"It looks like it's going to be a real shit storm in a few seconds!" Horatio said pointing to the one way onto the island as the sound of laughter grew louder and louder making Jaune's heart hitch in fear.

" You hear that? Those are cacklers kid. And it looks like were cut off." Horatio said as he barked orders to the students to _form a circle._

"What do you mean were cut off?! What happened to the top side team?" Jaune demanded as he felt his breathing hitch and heartbeat increase in rate.

"You're looking at the kid! We cleaned out the Grimm on the way here. We made sure that the tunnels were clear of Grimm before we got here. And if those sounds are in any way representative of numbers those things came from the surface, and that means our topside guys got wiped out."

"Wiped out!? You mean they're dead?!" Jaune asked as the sound of laughter resonated even louder in the tunnels making the students grab their weapons and begin to form a rough circle around their objective.

" I mean they got killed! I left Nera in charge of them The hard bastard would have killed the entire group before he let one Grimm come in those tunnels. If they're here, then the entire top is gone, and that means we have to fight and live or fight and die. Either works for me!"

Horatio Said as he left Jaune wanting answers before running up and down his line of subordinates shouting orders and demand turn of attention.

"Boss! What's the plan? We go out in a blaze of glory or not? Cause fi we are I would really like one last smoke,"

Kage asked as Jaune witnessed the first of the cacklers emerge from the main tunnel. They were like the ones in the shaft before tall with midnight colored leathery skin. Burning red eyes long sharp claws and dripping fangs. Although despite their terrify appearance what really unnerved Jaune was how _happy_ they looked. There were many words of describing Grimm, terrifying, horrible, shock-inducing but happy was not one of them.

The fact that not only was happy currently beings use but it was probably the single best description of them set Jaune teeth chattering as the things charged them

The grim ran at them throwing their head back in laughter and letting out squeals of glee and what sounded like people having a great time. As they charged,'

"Kage get up there! Hold them back while we rig the pillar to blow! Even if we die we will take some of the bastards down with us!"

Horatio barked as Kage ran forward " Boss what's the play? We fighting here or are we trying to make a break for it and leave these guys as fodder?"

Kage asked as he took the first shot with his pistole _CRACK!_ The first cackler was blown in two as its head was ripped off by a massive reactive shell sending it flying off into the chasm below.

'" We fight, we have nowhere to run to anyways." Jaune said making Kage nod as he ran forward blasting away at the grim with remarkable ease.

As he fired the other students with ranged weapon opened fire blasting large holes into the Grimms ranks.

As Jaune watched the cacophony of them firing tear into the Grimm ripping into bodies tearing limbs from torsos and taking heads off in puffs of red mist. As the student's fire Jauune witnessed Mika sprint into the center of the road before making a wall of fire impeding their progress.

As the wall of flame erupted, Jaune noticed that half of the grim before even reaching the wall of flame jumped off the road into the chasm below.

" Tthe hell are they doing?" Jaune asked as he saw grim jump into the chasm before he heard Kage shout. " Oh hell! Somebody take those bastards down!" kage yelled staring up at the ceiling and making Jaune freeze as he tracked his gaze upwards.

The ceiling was approximately seven stories above them filled with long stalagmites, or stalagtites whichever one of those things facing down! Either way, the sharp needles of rock were now infected with the bodies of swinging cacklers.

Jaune froze as he watched the wither black mass swing towards them. Looking little more than dar orangutangs before the monsters filly reached the top of the group and dropped.

Less than two seconds after touching down twelve initiate class students were dead. Their bodies ripped in tow tore or bitten clear in half as the Grimm cut into them the terrible sound of crunching bones and tearing flesh filled the air. Jaune watched in shock as their mad laughter stopped and the screaming started...

* * *

"Kage take them down!" Horatio yelled making him wince.

Jaune saw the problem they were facing instantly. The Grimm had launched a double attack. The ones charging them in the front had been a distraction while the bought times for the ones on top to climb into place and drop one the students splitting their group in half

But that was only the beginning. Most of the students here were of the initiate class. Meaning they usually had ranged weaponry a fact that had bought them precious time as the cacklers failed their initial push of volumes of firepower. Which was their second problem firepower?

Out of all the guns that could kill cackler only Kages' gun could do so with anything resembling reliability. His massive pistols almost guaranteeing a kill whenever he hit. Which so far was all the time, in fact as far as Jaune knee Kage he never missed a shot.

As the battle picked up Jane was already in motion running toward a pair of cackler that had surrounded a paralyzed Ruby.

Jaune had no idea why Ruby just had to freeze in the literal middle of a fight, maybe seed those children some younger than her getting their intestines ripped out was too much for her to deal with. Even if she had seen death before that was under extraordinary circumstance. This was the regular mission here at Bastion.

As Jaune sprinted toward them, Grimm h jumped forward shield up high and sword in hand. As he tacked Ruby, he felt the impact from one cackler almost break his shield arm as Jaune took the legs off at the shins of the one next to him. It growled in anger as it sprayed his face with thick, foul tasting viscera as he spate out he blood in disgust a searing pain shot through his body as a massive pair of close smacked his like followed by a huge jolt. Gripping his shoulder making him scream in agony.

Jaune yeeld allows as te feel te cackel lodge its teeth into Jaune neck before a burst of air was heard followed by a loud _CRACK!_

The things head exploded in a puff of blood as a heavy shell hit its head pulping it into bright red mist and sending the thing backward before second round killed the other cackler as Kage sprinted forward pistols blazing as Juan slid with Ruby on the ground.

"Boss you ok!? You don't look so hot!" kage said as he dropped tow magazines out of his pistols before deftly reloading them from the spare magazine he carried in his armors sides. As he aimed his guns in the sky, he resumed firing with every level of enthusiasm. As Kage lade into the enemy Jauen gripped Ruby.

"Ruby, you can't freeze like that in the battlefield! if you keep doing this, you are going to die alright?" Jaune asked his best friend before she nodded once. The typical serious face she got whenever danger was involved returning to her face as she shifted her weapon into scythe form and dashed into the fight in a flurry of rose petals.

" Boss! Your area" Mika yelled drawing attention to Jaunes rapidly depleted aura as Jaaune chopped off the arm of a grown what he presumed to be adult cackler. Taking the limb in a shower of blood before stabbing it's that and shield bashing it to the face sending it flying backward laughing horribly as he did.

As the monster did Jaune finally saw it and his heart stopped. Ruby was going to die. Not instantly but very soon and very painfully. As he says the reporter, who had been up until now an unstoppable force on the battlefield as she darted in and out of combat as an area in a blur of flying limbs and flashing silver.

She had stopped to decapitate a downside Grimm before two others flanked and circled her sides. Normally this would not be a problem as Jaune would simply yell out a warning to her, but the cacophony of combat made that impossible.

Making a bad situation worse was the fact that there were two cacklers charging him from the front. This was not a problem to him as he learned that cacklers were ambush predators. And while they were strong and muscled most of their danger came from their speed and tactics as they were quite fragile as grim would go.

Moving without thinking Jaune let his body dictate his actions as he tossed his shield at Ruby smiling broadly as the cloud of sparkle that flew off it as a cackler claw was deflected by it allowing Ruby to see the threat and kill the other one removing the danger for now.

If only the same could be sad for Jaune. As he stabbed the throat of one cackler only to feel the lack of shield became apparent as the monster stuck its clawed into his stomach. There was a flash of blue as his aura filed and time stopped.

"GUHA!" Jaune spit out blood as he felt his vision fade as lances of searing pain filled his body. Snarling in defiance Jaune spat a was of blood at the Grimm making it sneer before Jaune stabbed out its throat.

As the most fell, it took its claws down with it. An unfortunate side effect of its death as when the Grimm removed the claws from his stomach it took his intestines out with it. Jaune gasped as he felt his body instantly trying to cope with an evisceration in public he took a step back the two then three. As his balance over the edge Jaune shifted and hung in the balance before finally breaking off apart f the island and sending him into the chasm below. The last thing Jaune remembered hearing was a voice yell "Jaune!" Then it all went black….


	7. Pillar one Ruby Tuesday

**AN: Where back! Bastions in full swing and things are happening! Lets see what happens in this fight**

* * *

"Jaune no!" Ruby yelled as she saw her best friend run down and tossed off the cliff by the cackler. "Shit!" Kage yelled as popped off another shot from his heavy pistols. "Bossman?" Mika asked as she decapitated another before she saw a red-blur blaze into the falling grim."AHH!" Ruby yelled as became a crimson wave of silver and red as she charged into the cacklers. Turning them in mincemeat. Her rage propelled her forward as tears fell from her face.

The grim fell in mase before her attacks as limbs fall and bodies were cut in three; Kage saw it coming before it happened.

"Red lookout!" Kage yelled as Ruby's last exaggerated attack killed a cackler before she fell to the floor exhausted from her burst of attacks. As she cried fresh tears at her friend's death she never noticed the dark shape of a cackler rising from behind her, nor did she see the claws that came down to her face followed by the terrible sound of tearing flesh and a sharp scream as the monster slashed down on her slashing into her head and smashing it forward into the dirt.

"AHH!" Ruby screamed as the claws broke past her aura and into her face sending blood flying everywhere as the girl was bored down. "Damn it!" Kage yelled as he snapped another shot and killed the Grimm before sprinting to her side.

"Hold still kid! It'll be alright!" Kage shouted as he slid to the downed crying severely injured girl. "Shit! Hold still!" HE shouted as he tried to take the squirming girl's hands from her face. " It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" Ruby yelled as her face dripped red as her small hands tried to keep her blood on it. "It hurts so much!" Ruby shouted as she giggled to herself as red liquid sprayed out of her face.

"I need to get a look at it!" Kage shouted as he looked to the bleeding girls face. AN shade appeared on his right as another cackler appeared in front of him. "Come on!" Kage shouted as he shot the things in the hand. The mass reactive projectile snapped the things neck back and neatly decapitated it. Causing to cartwheel backward its neck spouting a fresh fountain of red as it fell. "What's wrong with her?" A familiar voice asked as Kage felt his hairs rise.

"She's obviously hurt Mika! She needs help!" He shouted to his longtime friend. Although he had no idea why they were considered friends. Even if he had known her all of his life, the girl had done nothing to really earn his friendship besides sticking to his side like gorilla glue and making his life hopelessly more inconvenient.

" _Oh no! She's hurt!"_ Mika said in her most sympathetic voice that Kage knew she saved for whenever she was attempting to feign empathy for others. Although she sounded like she was compassionate. Kage knew better, Mika never knew what sympathy was and could never show it to another being. The only rare exception was when she harmed him for some reason, but that was solely so she wouldn't lose the one person who would tolerate her.

" _She needs help!"_ Mika said sliding to her side her assortment of furs dirtied by the dust of the floor. As she did Kage knew her tone of voice. She was ecstatic. The sight of blood and pain always made her excitable. He knew her mood was about to get better despite his irritation.

" She needs help! Hold her straight and grip her face, so she doesn't bite her tongue off!" Kage yelled ruing the rapturous expression that came to her pale face as her emerald eyes shine in delight. He was giving her two of her favorite things at one. One the ability to help a friend, and to the chance to cause unnecessary harm to another living creature.

As she took out her ax and forced the shaft sideways into Ruby's mouth, ignoring the girl's cries as she pushed it between her teeth preventing her from biting her own tongue. "Here you go, Ruby! Just bite this, and you will be A-ok!"

Mika said with a joy-filled expression. Kage shuddered before looked at the injured girl as she cried on the ground her face was nearly removed. The cacklers claw had found the right side of her face as the creature's claw reeved the right side of her face turning it into a side of shredded meat.

As she moaned and cried, Kage stood up to a sorry sight. Most of the initiate class students, otherwise known as cannon fodder were either ripped in three chewed into pieces or wounded beyond function. As the last grim fell, Kage noticed that they had not so much beaten the Grimm back, but the things had merely stopped attacking. A rare thing for Grimm to do. As usually, the things either assaulted till they were dead, you were dead or you were both killed.

As the last of the cacklers merely retreated to the sole entry point of the cavern Kage saw their strategy." Starving us out huh?" Kage mumbled to them as he walked over to Horatio who was swearing worse than a drunken Mistrali soldier. As he walked over to the tall fourth year.

* * *

"Kage!? That you? Where's your leader?" Horatio asked as his radiant silver armor shone brightly reflecting off the strange algae light. His bald head shined in the scene as his golden eyes glared down at him.

"My leader was taken over the edge by a cackler," Kage told the other punishment student as he nodded his head once in agreement.

"Shame. He seemed like the good sort, well good for us you know?" He said before turning around to the gaggle of other fourth-year students to discuss a plan of escape. Kage sighed heavily before going forward with the idea.

"I'm going to look for him," Kage said as he reloaded his pistols. There was a pause amongst the fourth years as Horatio tuned back to look at him. Hie golded eyes alight with curiosity and suspicion.

"Why? There's no way he survived that you know? We need you here Kage." Horatio stated evenly not once breaking eye contact with his technical subordinate.

"He lived, I can feel him," Kage said as he turned away quickly causing Horatio to swear loudly. "Kage he's dead! You don't need to waste your life going to save him you know? You can still live." Kage chuckled at this as he checked his guns.

"You say that but If that kid bites it here so do I," Kage added making the fourth year shake his head and wave him off.

"You got a death wish? Because this is a hell of a way to do it you know?"

"Yeah I do but I need this kid not to die before he gets back to his damned home." The student said making Horatio swear an look back to the group of his friends.

"Oh? What is this? Is Kage going to do something heroic for once?" Mika asked as she held Ruby's face in a way that while keeping her from biting her tongue was obviously incredibly painful for the girl.

"I'm going looking for the kid. If I do not come back don't let anything happen to her alright?" kage asked as he noticed the strange expression Mika's face took.

As her eyes sparkle disappeared for a moment before returning in full force. "OK!" she said grinning wildly making a cold hand grip his spin. Kage knew if he never came back that girl was going to be in the most painful experience of her life as he went to the edge looked over the yawning black chasm. He sighed once before putting a hand on the ledge and going over.

* * *

When his eyes opened the first thing that came to hs mid was the pain. "AHH!" Jaune screamed as he shot halfway up before being forced down in pain. As his eyes shot open, he saw he was no longer on the ground of the fight but somewhere deep below the chasm. The walls of the are were illuminated by those strange glowing algae that seed to cover every part of this cavern as he tries to stand up. As his eyes looked around, he noticed a considerable wet feeling in his shirt as he looked down he froze as he saw the massive hole in his stomach.

"Ah"! Jaune was beyond sore as he saw his trademarked armor was gouged out as his pale skin was ripped open as the first signs of his intestines stuck out, exposing his innards t the cool cave air. Even with aura, he knew he was going to die.

"Damn it!" he swore loudly as his body was racked by an electric current. As he felt himself start to convulse before he spat out a wad of reddish spit. As he tried to grip into the soft ground, his pale hands desperately attempting to gain some purchase on it. His ears picked up the sound of heavy footsteps approaching him.

"Hello!? Is somebody there!?" Jaune asked as the heavy _Thump! Drag!_ Of foot steps filled the air as his eyes stared into the blackness around him. " Is somebody there!" Jaune shouted as the _Thump! Drag!_ Increased in volume as he managed a pained grasp for his sword or shield which were only a few feet from him in either direction. As he gripped the pommel of his sword. He cried out loudly as he left his arm buckled as a lance of pain shot through it causing him to drop the weapon.

As he cried out in pain the _Thump! Drag!_ Sound only intensified as craned his neck to see what it was.

"If there's somebody there I need some help!" Jaune shouted as the sound finally materialized as a pair of beady red eyes came out of the dark a cackler appeared. The monster stood ten feet from his downed body as its beady red eyes glared at Jaune. It looked at him with almost confused expression before it opened it's long canine-like mouth and _spoke._

" _I don't want any trouble! Just go your way and I'll go mine all right!?"_ The cackler _said_ as its moth mimicked in perfect human words what was probably the last words of its previous victims. As the thing lurched forward opening its long canine-like mouth revealing two rows of sharp teeth a low cackle escaped its mouth as it scraped its claws together.

" _I don't want any trouble!"_ The thing repeated again as it stepped closer Jaune opened its slobbering mouth in what looked like it was grinning ear to ear as it finally stepped over him. It seemed to know that he was injured his blood stained clothes and falling intestines seems to fascinate the create as its long black fur brushed up against Jaune's skin as it knelt down to him long canine face opening revealing a terrible form of halitosis and an elongated tongue that licked his face as if tasting him.

" _I don't want any trouble!"_ THe thing repeated making Jaune glare at it.

"Just do it already!"Jaune spat at the Grimm not willing to let it get the satisfaction of making him cry who's face took on an amused grin as it coked its head to the side and opened its mouth.

" _Just do it already!"_ The thing mimicked making Jaune so quickly as it gave a _perfect_ version of his own voice as it repeated his final words before opening its mouth an- BANG! A loud retort sounded and the things head snapped backward as a bright flash of yellow filled his vision as the monster fell backward. Its body tossed back as it was ripped back from him.

"Crap you still alive kid?" A familiar voice asked as Jaune saw the familiar form of Kage sliding down the wall of the cave.

"Kage!? What are you doing here!?" Jaune asked not believing his luck. As his other teammate and possibly only friend at Bastion slid down the walls.

"I came to save you of course. I can't have you dying on me, _not until Vytal at least_." Kage said as he knelled down next to his fallen leader.

"Ah hell," Kage said as saw the ruptured skin and exposed intestines. The good news was his guts didn't seem to be ruptured otherwise he would have been in even more excruciating pain. As the crap in his bowels would have been eating him alive.

"Your lucky, your guts are intact so you might make it out of this alive," Kage said as he took out a cloth from his back and wrapped it around the wound making his leader grunt in pain the scream in agony as Kage poured a clear liquid over it.

"Disinfectant, slash aura booster. It's a rare Bation thing usually reserved for fourth-year students _only_." kage explained as Jaune felt his aura being to regenerate as he felt like his legs might function again.

"Fourth-year students? Then why do you have it?" Jaune asked as he leaned forward as Kage gripped his arm his blood red armor was stained with even more red as the blood rubbed off on it.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase don't look a gift horse in the mouth? Don't ask how I got it just be happy that I do. Now let's get out of here before another cackler comes."

Kage said as he stood up his leader. "Easy There!" kage said as his file took another step making him stumble and spit out blood.

"We need to get to the top!" Jaune shouted as he coughed harshly before righting himself.

"What happened to Ruby!? Is she ok?! IS she-

"She's all right. She was injured by a cackler but she'll live. I Left her with Mika after the fight where the cacklers are being held off. We need to climb up before we get picked off. S grab my shoulders." kage asked as he positioned him so that Jaune could grab his shoulders from behind in a piggyback position.

"Don't worry about you friend Mika has her and will take care of her and other people are surrounding her. That should limit her curiosity and curtail your friend's pain to a _somewhat_ reasonable level." Kage reassured Jaune as he made a grunt as he felt the boy gripped his shoulders and they began their climb.

* * *

"She'll lose the eye." Horatio said bitterly as he looked at the downed punishment student in the red hood. His personal medic Vera had just finished putting the final touches on her in an attempt to stave off infection. An effort Vera confided in him was probably for naught as the Grimms claw appeared to be a natural biohazard as she wiped her brown hair as her crystal blue eys hung sadly before she went off to another injured student.

As The strange girl, Mika cradled her head. Horatio head already had to stop her from digging out the poor girl's flesh with her ax. Making the peculiar paper colored girl pout like a toddler before going back to giving some type of comfort to the girl. As he took his eyes away from them, he eyed his current situation and realized that it was not good. A mob of cacklers stood right outside of the firing range an on the other side of the cave making them wait either staying here and eventually starving to death of charging them forward into Oum knew how many more grim.

"Sir we need to make a break for it. If we stay here, we will die." A calm, collected voice from his right said as Horatio turned to his second in command and boy name Caleb. A tall, pale faced youth from Atlas who was here after deserting his post during a Grimm attack said. As he stared at the Grimm horde his strange rotating saw blades hovering over his gauntleted hands as he eyed the grim with his light blue eyes.

"I know that, it's just we need to find out how much of them their ware then we can see if making it out is really worth it."

"Getting ripped in three will sure beat being crushed to death, and picked of Grimm if they survive and you aren't killed by the rubble." The odd girl Mika said as she tugged the blood-soaked hair of her downed teammates. Her red life fluid stained the girl's furs as it gave the variety of pelts and skins she wore a crimson hue as her green eyes stared up at him.

"I know that Mika. It's just I want to keep as much of us alive and possible. A suicide attack on the Grimm will not achieve that goal all right?" Horatio asked the girl who merely shrugged in response as if to say that she didn't care one way or another. An after so many times talking to their Horatio Was starting to believe it. She didn't care whether they all walked out of here without a scratch or were ripped into tiny bite-sized pieces by the Grimm.

He read her psych profile that all leaders were given and shuddered at the thought of her. An actual unknown student. One whose only real connection to the world was her murdering of random civilians businessmen and after that everything was redacted. And bastion _never_ redacted students information. That meant either she had some high connection in the school which he doubted very much. Horatio was already the fourth year, and he barely had access to the aura salve that he Knew kage had stolen from somebody. Probably killed him for it too. Usually, Horatio would have shot Kage the moment he saw him with the cream but decided against that action.

Not because he liked Kage or anything but for the simple fact that Kage was one of the _rare_ Bastion punishment students that wouldn't shoot you in the back at a moments notice. And seemed to be generally committed to the missions end. Something that was desperately needed right now. Also, his strange bond with Mika meant that if Horatio killed him he would have to kill her and he knew from experience and hacking the Bastion servers for data on the girl that was _trying to kill or torture an immortal masochist was not only an inefficient but an extremely counter-productive use of time..._

Horatio thought as he eyed the waiting horde of cacklers debating on what to do. He head started this op with around one hundred and thirty students and hos lost approximately forty to he spitters damned plasma attacks. After that, he had to take the majority of his people into the cave where they fought the cacklers ambush at the pillar. Of the seventy or so he had taken thirty were now dead. Most of them being Initiate students the support staff medics, sappers, coms units, etc... leaving them in critical a mission juncture without adequate support or means of escape.

"Sir? I tried, but I can't alter the timer, we are running out of time." A timid voice from a second-year initiation said from behind him as his grey-black uniform was filled with cuts scars and dirt. Horatio pitted the initiation students. They were forbidden to have their aura unlocked until graduation and their survival rater reflected that fact.

"Damn it; I guess we're doing this the old fashioned way then." Horatio sighed as he looked at the central support pillar riddled with det tape. The lead demo expert a third-year initiation student who was currently resting in several places across the base of the pill courtesy of a now dead cackler. Unfortunately, the student had heard Horatio say to blow the thing and had head hardwired the timers to take down the whole cavern. He had hoped that the second year would be able to undo his predecessor's work but it happened to be no dice.

"Ready the wounded, I want initiation students who can't fight but can still walk taking care of those who can no longer move. Everybody else gets to the front. We are going to bash our way through to the evacuation zone where I-

"Wait for a tick damn it!" A familiar voice said as a bright red arm crested the cave side as the familiar form of Venke Kage globe over it with a blonde punishment student on his back.

* * *

"Wait a minute damn it!" Kage swore as he crested the cave ridge depositing Jaune on to the ground when the boy barely got to his feet. Luckily his aura head healed some of the damage and was know working on his legs.

"Kage! _Bossman_!" Mika said happily as she skipped to the returning teammates enveloping Kage in a tight hug rubbing her bloodied fur against his already red and stained armor making the boy sigh in irritation as he hugged her back.

"Yes, we're back now let's get-

"Where's Ruby!?" Jaune asked immediately looking for his friend.

"She' over there! She's; going to lose her eye though!" Mika chirped as she pointed to he downed red girl with a bandaged face and bleeding scalp.

"Ruby!" Jaune yelled as he blew past Mika almost missing her grasping hug before shuffling off making Kage sigh.

"Did you have to say it like that?" Kage aks as eyed his friend who smiles beatifically at him.

"Honesty is the best policy Kage! You taught me that after all!" Mika replied making Kage shake his head.

" Honesty from you? That'll be the day. I ken she'd lose that eye. I knew it from the moment she went down. Shame" He mumbled as he saw Jaune crying over his downed friend.

"Is she going to be ok!?"Jaune asked as he held the unconscious form of Ruby's hand as the medic form the leader's team looked at him grimly.

"She'll be ok, that eyes have to go though. If we don't get it out of her head soon, it will get infected and put her brain at risk, so we have to move soon." The medic was a hard-faced girl with sharp plain features as she gauzed Ruby's head with a fresh layer of tape removed the blood stained red version and applied fresh, clean white ones.

Jaune wished he could see her face but instead all he got was a mop of dirty brown hair and light blue eyes. The rest was covered but surgeon's mask and combat scrubs as she finished bandaging Ruby.

"Initiation attendants!" She barked as two initiation students who looked like they were unfit to hold a pen they were shaking so badly came up before lifting Ruby onto a cot and moving her to where the other wounded were gathered.

* * *

"Ok, listen up! We only have a limited amount of time before this pillar blows and kills every last one of us. And I don't know about you, but I do not plan on dying today! Least of all in some Grimm infested hell hole a mile below ground level. Now here's the plan we are going to bash through these bastards and take the fight to the entry way." Horatio began his final speech as he laid out their escape plan attempting to rally his remaining students.

"We will fight our way through the tunnels until we reach the evacuation zone. At which point I will call in a medical transport and get us the hell out of here. Any questions before I assign our roles?" He asked getting a grim silence in return.

"Alright, this is how it's going to play. I want initiation students who can fight at the fore. Their ranged firepower will do wonders before we smash into the Grimm. Afterwards, I want regular students specifically those adept at close quarters tunnel fighting next. We need to move fast people speed is paramount to our survival! Also, we have a lot of wounded, so I'm picking a group of us to watch the initiation students carrying them. Besides that we are running out of time, we have less the twenty till this place come down to us so be quick!" Horatio said as he gave his last speech in the group of hunters moved into position.

"This is it!" Kage yelled as they sprinted forward wind rushing into his face as the harsh staccato of the heavy gun sounded sharply in his ear. With a rough CRACK! Like somebody tearing fabric but infinitely louder as the initiation students worked the mobile gun across the cackler lines. The grim popped and burst as the massed fire power from the into students and whatever hunters had ranged weapons tore into them.

"This is going to be terrible!" Kage shouted as he tossed off two shots with his pistols each killing a particularly large cackler who heads the misfortune of sticking its ugly face out for two long.

The Base plan was for the initiate students and those with the ranged firepower to lead the charge only to merge back into the group once they hit the tunnels and provide support for the wounded while the close in fighters moved in for the thick of things.

Norma Kage didn't mind fighting for any reason. In fact, it was one of the few things that did give him joy in life. But knowing that his somewhat unique weapon choice made him both equally adept at long range charges and brutal close quarter fighting made his heart race.

He knew that he would probably die in those damned cavers. Wither ripped in three by a cackler claws or killed by an errant weapon swing from his comrades. Or worse still he would have to suffer the indignity of bleeding out as his semblance worked its magic and his femoral artery took an inevitable hit.

"Either way I'm killing some of you bastards!" kage shouted as the charge faltered as the devastated wall of cacklers reformed as their brothers melted into mist, the walls were thickly coated in their blood one of the few things that did _not_ disintegrate when Grimm died as the melee fighters rushed to join him.

Kage stopped shooting in one hard or read into a side pouch and grabbed a cigarette. He never had to ask as Mika rushed to his side with her pilot light and lit it for him. He nodded his thanks as he tossed one to her one as they charged forward with the way there was no way he was dying without one final smoke.

 _He heads dignity after all._ As the melled line reached the grim line. A final cry was given by the bastion students as the crashed into the Grimm.

* * *

"Damn it!" Jaune yelled as he slashed forward decapitating a cackler as its bloody body fell back ward before kage blew one in three as his pistol cracked to life. Jaune fought the urge to become sick as the massive weapons retort. If he thought it was loud before it was twice that in the cave as the gun sounded nearly deafening him as he turned to the next enemy.

It was a brutal and bloody affair this cave fighting. The cacklers were so packed so deep in the caves that it made it so running into them as line charging into a living wall of jagged teeth and sharp claws. As the hunters attack only Kage's pistols, fire power gave the end as his close quarter's pistol made short work in the tunnel blowing hole in their lines allowing hunters to take advantage of the gaps in their ranks. Time ebbed and slowed as

Time declined and slowed as Jaune struggled to kill the Grimm all around him the sound of battle filled his ears as he slashed and blocked his wounds barely mended by the Medic Vera. As the world dipped and turned, he swore this was the end. Blood filled his Boyd both Grimm and human as the hard stale air of the cane was now charged with dust rounds, and fresh viscera as the once pitch dark caver were now alight with the harsh bark of muzzle flashes, Grimm howls, and human yells.

"AHH!" Jaune yelled as he gutted a cackler, relishing the feeling of sword though flesh before wincing as he gripped his own stomach remember his previous evisceration that he was still recovering mysterious form Caleb ran in front of him with blurring green lights that appeared to be whirring saw blades? Surrounding him turning any grim limbs that approached him into shredded meat as ran into their firm were being pushed back. The Ferocity of the charge was ranged fire power was proving too much for them as the hunters made their way. The grim fell by the dozens as they forced their way past it wasn't easy.

The cacklers were crafty bastards and hid many of the numbers in crevices or crannies as they jumped out of nooks and depressions to sow chaos in the student's midsts. Reaching claws and jagged snouts snapped forward from the shadows like whirling hands of death, either crashing into aura or taking limbs from any unfortunate initiation students or injured hunters. As the ran a stray torso slammed in front of Jaune its headlong since removed fresh spill blood flying everywhere as it crashed into the ground. Even still Jaune ignored the grey initiation uniform as they ran.

* * *

"Get those hooks up! I got a bird inbound in t minus five so we have to get going!" Horatio barked as the loaded the injured students onto the rappelling devices modified so they could get the stretchers up onto them first. Jaune was glad Kage wa sone of the students sent on the expedition to secure the landing zone. As despite his rather brusque manner he was one of the few students in Bastion he could actually trust. As Jaune held onto the rapidly dimming of Ruby. "Don't worry Rubes. We'll get through this I promise."

* * *

Hold her down!" The medic yelled as Jaune and Kage both tried to hold down the flailing form of Ruby as the medic attempted emergency removal surgery. What was left of her eye head developed a nasty infection and needed to be removed immediately to prevent future contamination? The movement was complicated as the craft shuddered mid flight buffeted by turbulence as the sounds and smelled of the dead and dying filled and echoed through the bullhead.

"I hurt! It hurts! It hurts so much!"Ruby yelped as Kage grabbed her right hand and Mika her left as they forced her down onto the silver bull head floor while Jaune cradled her face attempted to calm his best friend while the medic deftly removed the bloodied gauze stripes as she tried to get into the middle of her damaged right eye.

As the final cloth came undone, Jaune had to suppress the urge to gasp. What head once been a beautiful silver eye was now festering orange. There was a pulsating mass of flesh. Broken and inflamed as what remained of her eye was now a deformed and a leaking sore that squirted out several long strands of yellow liquid while it shot out burst of sickly green fluids.

"This will hurt! So hold her down!" The medic shouted as she stabbed her tongs into Ruby's eyed and pulled.

Jaune would never forget the sound of metal hitting dying flesh or terrified and pain filled scream Ruby grave as she got her eye removed. She shouted so loudly Jaune thought that he would go deaf as the medic plucked out the meat of the infected eye ball an efficiently bagged the infected eyeball into a bag before putting a clear liquid into her gaping hole to wash out the contaminated fluid before administering a mild sedative to calm her down. As the small girl's body shook and convulsed violently on the silver floor until her energy gave out an she want will. Jaune gave a sigh of relief. Ruby Was hurt maimed for life both physically and possible. But she would live, and that was the critical part. Ruby would live to talk about it…

* * *

" _Be blessed child!_ For you have come closer to the machine them most ever will!" The strange Bation medical staff member in the crimson cloak shouted as he finished Ruby's operation. The remaining members of team ARKM main the AKM part of stood outside of the operating room waiting for their teammate to come back as the doors swung open and the man? In red came out. " Be at ease! For you comrade not only lives! But she has taken her first step to truly becoming one with the machine!" The man said as he stepped aside revealing the small downcast form of Ruby.

"Ruby! Jaune shouted as he went to see his medical robbed friend only to stop as a mechanical whirring sound filled the air. Jaune froze in place as in place of Ruby's once perfect silver eye was now a baleful red glow followed by an extended brown tri pieced whirring device followed by the sound of whirring motors and the turning of servos….


	8. Pillar one White horses

**AN: Here we go, boys! You got a brand new chapter of Bastion! This is the last chapter before the next Arc begins. Hehe, Arc git it? If not ah well. I am not entirely sober while writing this, thank you, Frank Horrigan, for the wise words on sobriety so expect randomness! That being said enjoy...**

 **Ps. It has recently come to my attention that this fic is for some strange reason gaining popularity... I do not know why. This was a random fic I just threw together I never expected it to get _any_ followers let alone consistent reviewers. So to those who are following it thank you and ot those who are reading it enjoy... **

* * *

"It's not that bad!" Jaune said as he eyed Ruby's prosthetic eye. The blonde flinched as the harsh whirring sound of servos filled the air as Ruby stared up at him. _He's lying…_ Ruby thought as a message popped in her eyes warning her of an accelerated heartbeat that indicates falsehood as her vision was overrun with a red hue as a plethora of information flooded her eyes. Numbers words letters and all other sensory information flooded her vision courtesy of her new _eye._

 _Name Jaune Arc, height 6 feet 1 inches. Weight 180 pounds. Distance three yards two feet 8 inches._ Ruby read as the mass amount of data flooded her vision thanks to her fake eye. It was giving her an utterly meticulous overview of everything and _anything_ it saw as it whirred and clicked.

Ruby had to fight back the tears as she felt like it was stabbing her in the back of her skull, it felt like somebody was driving an ice pick into her brain each time the device moved as the implanted device caused her brain to hurt. The doctor the nice once in white, not the scary one n red had told her that the accustomization pain would go away in a few days she just needed to give it some time. As she looked up to her teammates.

"It's not so bad Red. I think it looks ok." Kage said as Ruby eyed her teammate as her new eye went to work. _Name Kage Height 6, feet one and a half inches. Weight 200 pounds. Distance four yards two feet six inches._ Her eye read as she saw a red targeting reticule appear on his chest as a target symbol materialize on him tracking his every movement. Ruby sound that whenever she stared at a person for tow long, a red targeting reticule would appear on them giving her their distance, movement speed, the current amount of wind resistance, and length form herself. Along with a detailed threat assessment of them compiled with their exact position in longitude and latitude numbers. It was incredibly useful too and could even be linked to Crescent Rose as well. Ruby hated it with all her heart.

She hated the way it looked, the way as it protruded and retracted into her face. It was a small brownish item with a tri-barreled cone that extended out of her face giving off a persistent and baleful red glow whenever she walked into a room. It would extend and retract accordingly as she looked at something. Making it _glaringly_ apparent when she was interested. Even with its telescopic abilities, and auto-aiming capacity Ruby hated the feeling of the foreign material in her body. No matter what the doctor said, this would _never_ be natural...

* * *

"You just need to give it time! It will become like second nature to you!" The new doctor who was a _much_ less scary doctor in white robes said as she eyed Ruby happily. She was a medium sized woman with brownish hair short stature and pale skin. She had introduced herself as _acolyte Felica._ And was currently giving Ruby a once-over before sending her on her way.

"Is there any way I'll ever get used to this thing?" Ruby asked before crying out in pain as a sharp stabbing sensation filled her brains as she gasped in pain. "That's the implanted pain for you! It's going to hurt for a while to try to get used to it ok?" Felicia asked Ruby as she fiddled with her prosthetic. As she reached out to tinker with the eye several mechandrites shot out of her robes and began to work on her eye from behind her as she turned the prosthetic up to specs.

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Jaune asked taking a step forward eying his injured teammate warily."Of course, there is! Be good teammates to her and be there for her when she needs it. The ghost pain will take several weeks to dissipate if it doses at all! Until then help her when she needs it and get her accustomed to life with a prosthetic eye!"

Felicia said with a smile as she finished tinkering with Ruby's eye. "There you go! That will do you for the next few mission, you have the Bastion mechanicus seal of approval miss Rose! Just keep using it, and you will see that it is not only _superior_ to your original biological eyesight, it also will come with both _offensive_ and _defensive_ features! Just wait until you stare at something _hard enough_ then you'll see how the machine is _vastly_ superior to the flesh! Until then keep using it and coming back her for checkups and it will become like second nature!" Felicia said as she clasped her hands and ushered team ARKM out of the medical area.

* * *

"We should really get going to class. I know you're in pain Ruby, but we _really_ don't want to be late for our first class." Kage said as the targeting reticle hovered over his chest again. _: Kage. Heartbeat normal, unlikely speaking a falsehood. Distance: Four yards two feet 6 inches. Threat level normal._ "Yeah! You don't want to be tardy!" Mika said happily as she shot up from her bed. Her assortment of furs and skins flashed in the air before she shot forward.  
: _Mika Smith. Height 5 feet 8 inches. Heart Rate normal. Distance ten yards two feet seven inches. Threat level extreme. Caution warranted, preemptive strikes advised._

Ruby gulped as her targeting reticule appeared and _stayed_ on Mika as her eye whirred and whined as it shot out of her skull on its full eight-inch length as it analyzed the girl. "She has a point, Rubes. We _really_ need to get going." Jaune said as he rubbed her head. That one mentions seemed to make the stabbing feeling in her head disappear as he ran his finger through her head a warm feeling filled her chest as she gazed up to the blonde leader. She could tell he was getting accustomed to seeing her with a prosthetic. Especially one like this but it was comforting to her to know that he still stayed by her side, even though she expected nothing else it was always reassuring, and it felt warm…

* * *

" _Combat!_ The lifeblood of Bastion and the cost of remnant!" The sultry form of the combat teacher Ms. Velvet said as she stalked up and down the classroom. They were in their first mandatory Bastion class combat. And the teacher one Ms. Velvet was lecturing thoroughly on the ins and outs of ranged fighting. As Jaune looked to her, it was difficult to hear anything that came out of her mouth as his eyes were glued to her body.

Everything about her seemed to scream _lust._ Form her curvaceous body to her form-fitting black outfit that was somewhere between a jumpsuit and a pitch black leotard that hugged her body tightly. As she Spoke she had the light pale skin of the school and long brown hair with matching eyes. As she watched the class.

"Now tell me class is there anybody with any questions?" She asked before locking her brown eyes on Jaune's blue ones as a feral smile appeared on her lips.

"What about you mister Arc? I know this is your first day, but I usually expect a little more Umf! From my students. Is something about my lecture boring you?" She asked as she sashayed over to the blond leaning over his dead give him a clear view of her ample cleavage. Jaune; face went hot as he felt himself stuttering. " It's not that! It's just… Just that I don't use a ranged weapon! I use a mellone one and some of this stuff is hard to-

"Oh you are _hard_ now, are you? Well, that's' unfortunate. I know! If this class is too _hard_ for you how about, you come to see me after school for some special one on one _tutoring_. I can't say that it will be easy and I can almost _guarantee_ you that if you come, you will be in for a _rather rough ride._ But I promise you one of us will _come out on top_. So what do you say mister Arc? Do you want to take a _ride_ with your teacher?"

Her voice dripped from her mouth like a sickly nectar as Jaune felt his breathing hitch and pants tighten. Oh god, she's so close! He thought as he saw her beautiful face brown eyes and curvaceous form. Even fully clothed her jumpsuit highlighted each and every one of the curves on her perfect hourglass figure. She said she takes me for a _rough ride?_ What doe that mean!? Does that mean…

Jaune's breathing hitched as he thought of the possibility of a rough ride would was going to accept he notices the desperate, frantic hand notions of Kage as he desperately drew a hand across his neck. In warning. As he looked to him.

" Well, mister Arc? You do know it's rude to keep a teacher waiting don't you?" She asked as she took a hand and gripped his arm running her smooth fingernails along it scratching deep into his light skin and making the blonde groan. "GAH!" Kage coughed loudly interrupting the two as he shook his desk desperate to save his blonde leader.  
"Oh? Mister Kage? _Is that you?_ Are you already waiting for our second time? I know how well you did last time and I'm eager to see you do it again, let's say _after class today?"_ Miss Velvet asked Kage in a downright predatory grin as the tall boy sweated bullets.

"As much as I would _love_ to Miss Velvet, I have training with my team after class, so I must decline." He said politely as he bowed his head sweat dripping from his hand.  
"What a shame. _Next time then!"_ she had a predatory grin as she went back to teaching. Jaune remembered what Kage had told him before…

* * *

"Listen and listen good! Jaune you have to believe me when I say this, This is not Beacon."  
Kage said as the ran through the eerily empty Bastion corridors. Where the hell are the kids? Jaune thought as he turned to his friend? " You don't have to tell me this isn't Beacon Kage. I know that." Jaune replied dryly making Kage sigh.  
"No, you don't get it! _This is Bastion!_ Everything is different here, the school. The dorms, the curriculum the teachers! Jaune listen to me! I don't know what you've heard so far but pay attention. This is _not_ Beacon. The staff at Bastion are not like any you have ever seen before. They have _full_ authority over the students here. And they can do whatever they want to us."

"Kage It can't be that bad," Jaune said as turned a corner making him groan.  
"Jaune when I say full authority I mean full authority. We are _nothing_ to them. They can do almost anything to us if they see fit, so _please_ don't do anything to provoke them. Especially Miss Velvet. I Know she will seem sweet maybe even nice but do not engage her in unnecessary talks and for whatever reason do not under any circumstances let her take you to after class _tutoring!"_

* * *

Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Kage asked his leader as they left their class. Jaune was still blushing a little as they left the room. " Come on Kage it wasn't that bad-  
"Not that bad!? Jaune do you have _any_ idea what almost happened to you!?"

"A teacher _propositioned_ me?" Jaune asked making Kage sigh.

"Jaune that is no ordinary teacher. That was _Miss Velvet!_ One of the most dangerous teachers in Bastion!" Kage said as they filed past the few meandering students. Unlike Beacon Bastion students almost _never_ remained in the hallways after class. Not even to talk, it seemed a soon as their class ended they went right off t their next class post haste.

"He's got the point _bossman_ you almost got your _ticket punched_ back there! _Literally"_ Mika added as she fell in behind the tow her ax brought up behind her head in relaxed gestures as she followed them.

"What was that all about…" Ruby asked turning her head the ground as she blushed fiercely at the sights or thought of her best friend doing that with a teacher.  
"Jaune that is Miss Velvet! Do you know what she does with students? Kage asked his leader as the blonde shrugged. "She sleeps with them…" Kage growled once before opening his mouth.

"Ok, Jaune let me break this down for you. Let's say you did for _whatever_ reason accept her off for tutoring. Maybe you were feeling lucky? Maybe you were feeling suicidal! I don't know! But let me tell you _exactly_ what would have happened to you."

"First of all, you would go to the room after class and you would meet miss Velvet _alone._ Then after the _briefest_ attempts s at doing work she would make some BS excuse about a table needing to be fixed and have you take a look at it. All the while flashing you peeks of her body which you are _obviously_ interested in, shooting you those subtle eye looks and making you feel like a real-life Adonis. That is until she grabbed you by the collar and forces you onto the table."

"After that, she would get on top of you and just like that you're fucking a teacher!" Kage said with enough bluntness to make Jaune blush and Ruby squirm nervously.

"Now you're getting it on your feeling good. You just lost your virginity after all you have no reason not to feel good." "Hey! How do you know I'm a virgin!?"  
"One, because you just said it. Two because well just _look at you_ …" Kage said as he eyed the blonde up and down giving Jaune a major confidence hit in the process.

"Now back to the story. You would be feeling good enjoying the feeling of getting your dick rode for the first time then all of a sudden you _feel it_. You're getting close you're nearing your climax, and you're about to cum. That's when she says _don't._ She would tell you not to cum until she does. Now, this is your first time, after all, so your pretty nervous and a teacher breaking your dick on a table is already a pretty good experience, so you say you have to. She says _don't_ once again and picks up the pace."

"Now you are only so human, so you scream one last time and cum. Then you know what she does the moment you pop? She blows your brains out!" Kage said making Jaune freeze on the spot.

* * *

"What?!" He asked as the color drained from his face as Kage's brown eyes locked onto his blue one. "She kills her own students?!" Jaune asked incredulously.

"Yup! She fucks em and kills them when they cum before her. She prefers doing it to first years, but she'll do it to anybody." Kage admitted as they turned a corner in the marble hallways.

"That can't be legal! What about the school rules!" The knight asked incensed at the casual loss of life.

"Jaune what part about _full authority_ did you not understand? See is a teacher at _Bastion_. A school for the literal _worst of the worst._ She can do whatever the hell she wants with us! As long as she is teaching us the rules. The teachers don't give two craps about us, and as long as enough of us still breathing they don't give two shits about the rest of us!" Kage spat out as he grumbled bitterly.

"He's right _bossman!_ She would have chewed you up and spit you out! We would be looking for a new leader right now, after mopping your brains up of course." Mika added in an oddly respectful tone of voice as they walked.

"That's horrible! Why would she ever do that!?" Ruby asked as her prosthetic eye whined in agreement as it stuck out of her head making the girl cry out in pain as she grasped at her fake eye. "She was going to kill me…"

"Yup. And then dump the body on the entryway to the class as a reminder." Kage said before Jaune fixed him a look.

"You seem awfully knowledgeable about this Kage. How do you know so much about her?"

"Because he fell for her trap!" Mika said happily from behind him grinning ear to ear. As her pure white teach mirrored her paper like skin as she walked up to him. "She tricked Kage into a night of _rough_ and _passionate_ lovemaking! The only reason why he's here right now is he was a tough shot and outlasted her for the first time. After that, he's been avoiding her like the plague, and she's been trying to get him back in her bed!" Mika added among Kage sigh in frustration.

"She has a point. I was stupid once. And I won't be that stupid ever again. I got lucky then I don't like relying on luck to win my battles." Kage said as Mika open her mouth.  
"Speaking of battles, it's time for our next class! _Combat!"_ Mika said as she squealed with glee.

* * *

"GO KAGE!" Mika shouted as they watched Kage brutalized the large man he was fighting. Jaune was shocked by the Bastion combat arena. It was _huge_ ten times larger than Beacons easily. As Jaune watched the rows after rows of student cheering the fight and the massive big screen tv screen showed Kage breaking open a man's head like a ripe melon, with one of his pistols before slamming him onto the sand floor before to a wave of applause walking out of the ring. The arena with crazy as cheers and jeers fill the ar as students of all years sang their approval of rapport and the outcome as a chorus of _~Veeennnke!~ ~Veeennke~_! Filled the air as Jaune looked down to see the familiar form of Hino and Zach both cheering wildly for their friend. As Hino wrapped Zach in one of her massive arms as he punched the air as Kage won the fight.

"Now! Onto our next fight!" The announcer said as the remaining combatant was dragged out by a Bastion medical detail. Jaune winced as he knew that Bastion fights had no aura limits and the fights would put initiate students without aura against those with, they went until one could no longer fight by injuring of being deceased the pictures on TV blurred in rapid motion as the next opponent as randomly generated.

"Our next meet will be.." The announcer pauses as a number of squares filled the big screen filling the room with an aloud whirring noise as they ran through the lists. " _Ruby Rose!_ Punishment! Versus… _Braxton Savage!_ Punishment!" The announcer as a picture of Ruby's face complete with one red eye was put next to the massive student as the announcer finished the combatant's names causing the stands to cheer. " Will Ruby Rose and Braxton Savage please make their way to the arena! Your fight is about to go on!"

* * *

I don't want to fight you!" Ruby said as her eye immediately started scanning her opponent. _: Braxton Savage. Height seven foot nine inches. Weight three hundred fifty-eight pounds. Distance ten yards one foot eight inches. Threat level high._ Her eye read s a large targeting reticule appeared on his bald forehead. "Ha! Weak words form a weak opponent! I'll have you know I fight to the death girly, so if you don't want to die I suggest you come ready to kill!" Braxton said as slapped a massive hand over his meaty exposed chest.

"I don't want to kill you!" Ruby pealed as she gripped _Crescent Rose_ tightly as her red finished fully integrating with her weapon. AN green integration complete flashed don her eye's hud as she stared at her opponent.

 _"That makes one of us!_ " Braxton said before the announcer yelled, "Begin!" And the fight was on.

Ruby moved first using her semblance to instantly skirt Braxton's reach briefly compensating for the sand flooring and peppered him with sniper shots. The man was so large he was impossible to miss as she put round after round into his thickly over the muscled backside. " _Stay still_!"

He roared as he tossed a massively spiked chain mace at her making the girl gasp as the bowling ball like spike object nearly took her face off as she dashed to the sides a flurry of rose petals and sand before opening fire on him again.

Braxton roared as his tanned skin was pelted with sniper rifle fire as his aura absorbed the first of the barrage. As Ruvy hit blow after blow she felt a nagging felling in the back of her mind as she fought him. Unlike in Beacon the only aura levels that were shown were on the massive big screen television as Ruby had _no_ idea how much aura the large man head left.

"Surrender now, and I won't have to hurt you!" Ruby pleaded not knowing what to do. If she kept shooting him _eventually_ his aura would fail, and he would be severely wounded! As she remembered the Bastion staff never called fight until somebody was either incapacitated or dead. Whatever came first as she switched up tactics charging him for a devasting forward slash as she easily dodged his large overly cumbersome chain mace as her eyepiece saw an apparent _strategic weakness_ as it called it as she slashed forward.

The first of the three strikes were devastating, as Crescent Rose struck true tearing chunks out of his aura as Braxton roared in anger. He tossed his large weapon in a wide looping arc hoping to hit Ruby with an overlapping swing but failed miserably. His weapon was clearly made for dealing with large armored, slow opponents. And it was _woefully_ ineffective at hitting fast moving agile opponents like herself. As she dipped and dodged the clunky weapon. " _Just stay still!_ " He howled as Ruby gathered herself for another attack. She head to admit running on sand was _much_ harder than running on anything else really.

Even snow was more natural in her opinion. As she charged at him ok, the eye said to hit his neck right here! Ruby thought as she brought her scythe down in devasting downward slash only to be rewarded by the sound of metal tearing _flesh_ as her scythe broke through his aura and tore right into the bone...

* * *

Ruby screamed, Braxton, yelled as Crescent Roese made quick work of his body, quickly and rather violently ripping open half of his neck and most of his chest cavity, tearing clean through flesh and bone alike as the large scythe cleaved his hip from the thigh. Ruby gasped loudly as hot blood hit her face dying her body the color of her cape as the large boy fell onto his knees.

"You bastard! I'll make you pay for this!" He shouted as he coughed up large harsh mouthfuls of blood as he stared the small red reaper.

" _Someone!_ Somebody, please call for help!" Ruby shouted as she rushed back in forth in the arena. Her semblance taking her up and down the sand lengths in a matter of seconds as she desperately called for help. "Somebody! Please! He is going to die an-  
 _"Get back here and fight me!_ I came to fight so damn well face me!" Braxton coughed as blood left his mouth and Ruby panicked.

She didn't know what to do. If she did nothing, the fight would never end, and he would bleed out making her murdered?! No that can't happen! Ruby thoughts ed him. If I can disable him to the point where he can't fight then they will call the match! She thought as she desperately charged him.

"I'm sorry!" Ruby yelled as she brought down Crescent Rose four times. Twice on his legs once on each of his Achilles' tendons the other two on his wrist making him drop his weapon and collapsed to the ground. Even still he persisted….

"That all you got?! I Know dead people who swing harder fool! Just get back here and fight me!"  
"What is wrong with you!? Can't you see I'm trying to help you!?" Ruby pleaded with him as he spat a red wad of phlegm at her.

"I don't need your pity woman! Either kill me now or let me die! Either way its all ready over..." He demanded of her eye glowed red as it locked on.

 _: Targeting path locked. Analyzing route… analyzing…. Analysis complete attack path plotted and sent._ Her eye said as Ruby was shown a planned takedown. If she stabbed him there, he would surely have to quit! She thought sprinted at the large man and Ruby never saw it coming. As she swung down her weapon, it made the _slightest_ alteration in its attack on its original target, severing a set of tendons that would have made it impossible for him to continue slammed itself instead head first into Braxton's skull, impaling the tip of Crescent Rose straight through his face killing him instantly….

"Winner _Ruby Rose!_ Gaining her first arena kill in her first combat debut no less! Let's give her a warm round of applause everybody! Give it up for the debut of the _Red Reaper of Bastion!_ " The announcer called out as the crowd cheered wildly for Ruby as she dropped to her feet as her heat thudded out of her chest. Her breaths came out in short jagged burst as she looked at the crumbled bleeding man who was still impaled by her weapon.

"I…. I… I Killed him?" Ruby thought before tears broke her face as she grabbed her weapon. Ripping it free from the dead man's head. Almost losing her lunch as the sickening SLURP! The sound of metal reaving flesh filled her ears before she ran off in a trail of rose petals.

* * *

" YAY! She did it!" Mika cheered loudly as Jaune looked on horrified as Ruby planted her scythe right through the man's skull. The blade of _Crescent Rose_ easily pierced through flesh and bone as the weapon end the man's life. "Winner Ruby Rose!" The announcer said before the entire arena cheered for her. It was deafening as a wave of applause and streamers? Found their way to the combat arena where the young girl looked ready to break. the camera had zoomed in on her face as she collapsed on the sand floor as her hands gripped her side as she began to shake.

"Uh oh, ladies and gents! Looks like we got ourselves a case of stage fright here! Let's give her some more applause what do you say?" the announcer asked before the applause doubled in volume before Ruby took her scythe ripping it free form his skull as Kage gripped his arm. "Go het her." He said as Ruby sprinted away in a storm of rose petals...

* * *

" _Ruby, it's ok…"_  
"No, it's not! Jaune it's not ok! I _killed_ a man!" "Ruby shouted to him as she lay curled up in his bed. Ruby was beside herself crying deep in her mattress as the bloodied form of Crescent Rose lay next to her. It will head a tuft of brains and blood around it as she had not packed it up form scythe form.

"Ruby it's all 'Stop telling me it's all right! I killed somebody Jaune! Nad not like before in Vacuo! I killed a man in a fight. I saw him die. Do you know how that made me feel!?" She creaks as her body sobbed into her pillow.

"Ruby I Can't begin to imagine how bad that made you-

"That's the thing Jaune! I didn't! I didn't feel bad!" Ruby said as she broke out of her covers in her bed and her one remaining eyed spilling a free wall of tears as her prosthetic whirred up to him glowing balefully in the process.  
"Ruby what do you mean you _didn't_..." Jaune asked as the girl cried into his arms.  
"Jaune I _didn't_ feel bad after I killed Braxton! Not at all! Jaune... _I didn't fell bad... Jaune_ _I liked it!"_

* * *

 ** _AN_ : ANother Bastion chapter done! This one with a light look on the school's inner workings! There was the first team arena fight and Ruby got her kill! I know her reaction isn't typical but I always wanted to see her like that. Always guessed she would like killing, I mean really look at her scythe... Well until next time expect all the possible refrences so untill then take care of youselves and thank you for reading.**


	9. Pillar one Having a good time

**AN: Here we go, boys! You got a brand new chapter of Bastion! This is the last chapter before the next Arc begins. Hehe, Arc git it? If not ah well. I am not entirely sober while writing this, thank you, Frank Horrigan, for the wise words on sobriety so expect randomness! That being said enjoy...**

 **Ps. It has recently come to my attention that this fic is for some strange reason gaining popularity... I do not know why. This was a random fic I just threw together I never expected it to get _any_ followers let alone consistent reviewers. So to those who are following it thank you and ot those who are reading it enjoy... **

* * *

"It's not that bad!" Jaune said as he eyed Ruby's prosthetic eye. The blonde flinched as the harsh whirring sound of servos filled the air as Ruby stared up at him. _He's lying…_ Ruby thought as a message popped in her eyes warning her of an accelerated heartbeat that indicates falsehood as her vision was overrun with a red hue as a plethora of information flooded her eyes. Numbers words letters and all other sensory information flooded her vision courtesy of her new _eye._

 _Name Jaune Arc, height 6 feet 1 inches. Weight 180 pounds. Distance three yards two feet 8 inches._ Ruby read as the mass amount of data flooded her vision thanks to her fake eye. It was giving her an utterly meticulous overview of everything and _anything_ it saw as it whirred and clicked.

Ruby had to fight back the tears as she felt like it was stabbing her in the back of her skull, it felt like somebody was driving an ice pick into her brain each time the device moved as the implanted device caused her brain to hurt. The doctor the nice once in white, not the scary one n red had told her that the accustomization pain would go away in a few days she just needed to give it some time. As she looked up to her teammates.

"It's not so bad Red. I think it looks ok." Kage said as Ruby eyed her teammate as her new eye went to work. _Name Kage Height 6, feet one and a half inches. Weight 200 pounds. Distance four yards two feet six inches._ Her eye read as she saw a red targeting reticule appear on his chest as a target symbol materialize on him tracking his every movement. Ruby sound that whenever she stared at a person for tow long, a red targeting reticule would appear on them giving her their distance, movement speed, the current amount of wind resistance, and length form herself. Along with a detailed threat assessment of them compiled with their exact position in longitude and latitude numbers. It was incredibly useful too and could even be linked to Crescent Rose as well. Ruby hated it with all her heart.

She hated the way it looked, the way as it protruded and retracted into her face. It was a small brownish item with a tri-barreled cone that extended out of her face giving off a persistent and baleful red glow whenever she walked into a room. It would extend and retract accordingly as she looked at something. Making it _glaringly_ apparent when she was interested. Even with its telescopic abilities, and auto-aiming capacity Ruby hated the feeling of the foreign material in her body. No matter what the doctor said, this would _never_ be natural...

* * *

"You just need to give it time! It will become like second nature to you!" The new doctor who was a _much_ less scary doctor in white robes said as she eyed Ruby happily. She was a medium sized woman with brownish hair short stature and pale skin. She had introduced herself as _acolyte Felica._ And was currently giving Ruby a once-over before sending her on her way.

"Is there any way I'll ever get used to this thing?" Ruby asked before crying out in pain as a sharp stabbing sensation filled her brains as she gasped in pain. "That's the implanted pain for you! It's going to hurt for a while to try to get used to it ok?" Felicia asked Ruby as she fiddled with her prosthetic. As she reached out to tinker with the eye several mechandrites shot out of her robes and began to work on her eye from behind her as she turned the prosthetic up to specs.

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" Jaune asked taking a step forward eying his injured teammate warily."Of course, there is! Be good teammates to her and be there for her when she needs it. The ghost pain will take several weeks to dissipate if it doses at all! Until then help her when she needs it and get her accustomed to life with a prosthetic eye!"

Felicia said with a smile as she finished tinkering with Ruby's eye. "There you go! That will do you for the next few mission, you have the Bastion mechanicus seal of approval miss Rose! Just keep using it, and you will see that it is not only _superior_ to your original biological eyesight, it also will come with both _offensive_ and _defensive_ features! Just wait until you stare at something _hard enough_ then you'll see how the machine is _vastly_ superior to the flesh! Until then keep using it and coming back her for checkups and it will become like second nature!" Felicia said as she clasped her hands and ushered team ARKM out of the medical area.

* * *

"We should really get going to class. I know you're in pain Ruby, but we _really_ don't want to be late for our first class." Kage said as the targeting reticle hovered over his chest again. _: Kage. Heartbeat normal, unlikely speaking a falsehood. Distance: Four yards two feet 6 inches. Threat level normal._ "Yeah! You don't want to be tardy!" Mika said happily as she shot up from her bed. Her assortment of furs and skins flashed in the air before she shot forward.  
: _Mika Smith. Height 5 feet 8 inches. Heart Rate normal. Distance ten yards two feet seven inches. Threat level extreme. Caution warranted, preemptive strikes advised._

Ruby gulped as her targeting reticule appeared and _stayed_ on Mika as her eye whirred and whined as it shot out of her skull on its full eight-inch length as it analyzed the girl. "She has a point, Rubes. We _really_ need to get going." Jaune said as he rubbed her head. That one mentions seemed to make the stabbing feeling in her head disappear as he ran his finger over her head a warm feeling filled her chest as she gazed up at the blonde leader. She could tell he was getting accustomed to seeing her with a prosthetic. Especially one like this but it was comforting to her to know that he still stayed by her side, even though she expected nothing else it was always reassuring, and it felt warm…

* * *

" _Combat!_ The lifeblood of Bastion and the cost of remnant!" The sultry form of the combat teacher Ms. Velvet said as she stalked up and down the classroom. They were in their first mandatory Bastion class combat. And the teacher one Ms. Velvet was lecturing thoroughly on the ins and outs of ranged fighting. As Jaune looked at her, it was difficult to hear anything that came out of her mouth as his eyes were glued to her body.

Everything about her seemed to scream _lust._ Form her curvaceous body to her form-fitting black outfit that was somewhere between a jumpsuit and a pitch black leotard that hugged her body tightly. As she Spoke she had the light pale skin of the school and long brown hair with matching eyes. As she watched the class.

"Now tell me class is there anybody with any questions?" She asked before locking her brown eyes on Jaune's blue ones as a feral smile appeared on her lips.

"What about you mister Arc? I know this is your first day, but I usually expect a little more Umf! From my students. Is something about my lecture boring you?" She asked as she sashayed over to the blond leaning over his dead give him a clear view of her ample cleavage. Jaune; face went hot as he felt himself stuttering. " It's not that! It's just… Just that I don't use a ranged weapon! I use a mellone one and some of this stuff is hard to-

"Oh you are _hard_ now, are you? Well, that's' unfortunate. I know! If this class is too _hard_ for you how about, you come to see me after school for some special one on one _tutoring_. I can't say that it will be easy and I can almost _guarantee_ you that if you come, you will be in for a _rather rough ride._ But I promise you one of us will _come out on top_. So what do you say mister Arc? Do you want to take a _ride_ with your teacher?"

Her voice dripped from her mouth like a sickly nectar as Jaune felt his breathing hitch and pants tighten. Oh god, she's so close! He thought as he saw her beautiful face brown eyes and curvaceous form. Even fully clothed her jumpsuit highlighted each and every one of the curves on her perfect hourglass figure. She said she takes me for a _rough ride?_ What doe that mean!? Does that mean…

Jaune's breathing hitched as he thought of the possibility of a rough ride would was going to accept he notices the desperate, frantic hand notions of Kage as he desperately drew a hand across his neck. In warning. As he looked at him.

" Well, mister Arc? You do know it's rude to keep a teacher waiting don't you?" She asked as she took a hand and gripped his arm running her smooth fingernails along it scratching deep into his light skin and making the blonde groan. "GAH!" Kage coughed loudly interrupting the two as he shook his desk desperate to save his blonde leader.  
"Oh? Mister Kage? _Is that you?_ Are you already waiting for our second time? I know how well you did last time and I'm eager to see you do it again, let's say _after class today?"_ Miss Velvet asked Kage in a downright predatory grin as the tall boy sweated bullets.

"As much as I would _love_ to Miss Velvet, I have training with my team after class, so I must decline." He said politely as he bowed his head sweat dripping from his hand.  
"What a shame. _Next time then!"_ she had a predatory grin as she went back to teaching. Jaune remembered what Kage had told him before…

* * *

"Listen and listen good! Jaune you have to believe me when I say this, This is not Beacon."  
Kage said as the ran through the eerily empty Bastion corridors. Where the hell are the kids? Jaune thought as he turned to his friend? " You don't have to tell me this isn't Beacon Kage. I know that." Jaune replied dryly making Kage sigh.  
"No, you don't get it! _This is Bastion!_ Everything is different here, the school. The dorms, the curriculum the teachers! Jaune listen to me! I don't know what you've heard so far but pay attention. This is _not_ Beacon. The staff at Bastion are not like any you have ever seen before. They have _full_ authority over the students here. And they can do whatever they want to us."

"Kage It can't be that bad," Jaune said as turned a corner making him groan.  
"Jaune when I say full authority I mean full authority. We are _nothing_ to them. They can do almost anything to us if they see fit, so _please_ don't do anything to provoke them. Especially Miss Velvet. I Know she will seem sweet maybe even nice but do not engage her in unnecessary talks and for whatever reason do not under any circumstances let her take you to after class _tutoring!"_

* * *

Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" Kage asked his leader as they left their class. Jaune was still blushing a little as they left the room. " Come on Kage it wasn't that bad-  
"Not that bad!? Jaune do you have _any_ idea what almost happened to you!?"

"A teacher _propositioned_ me?" Jaune asked making Kage sigh.

"Jaune that is no ordinary teacher. That was _Miss Velvet!_ One of the most dangerous teachers in Bastion!" Kage said as they filed past the few meandering students. Unlike Beacon Bastion students almost _never_ remained in the hallways after class. Not even to talk, it seemed a soon as their class ended they went right off t their next class post haste.

"He's got the point _bossman_ you almost got your _ticket punched_ back there! _Literally"_ Mika added as she fell in behind the tow her ax brought up behind her head in relaxed gestures as she followed them.

"What was that all about…" Ruby asked turning her head the ground as she blushed fiercely at the sights or thought of her best friend doing that with a teacher.  
"Jaune that is Miss Velvet! Do you know what she does with students? Kage asked his leader as the blonde shrugged. "She sleeps with them…" Kage growled once before opening his mouth.

"Ok, Jaune let me break this down for you. Let's say you did for _whatever_ reason accept her off for tutoring. Maybe you were feeling lucky? Maybe you were feeling suicidal! I don't know! But let me tell you _exactly_ what would have happened to you."

"First of all, you would go to the room after class and you would meet miss Velvet _alone._ Then after the _briefest_ attempts s at doing work she would make some BS excuse about a table needing to be fixed and have you take a look at it. All the while flashing you peeks of her body which you are _obviously_ interested in, shooting you those subtle eye looks and making you feel like a real-life Adonis. That is until she grabbed you by the collar and forces you onto the table."

"After that, she would get on top of you and just like that you're fucking a teacher!" Kage said with enough bluntness to make Jaune blush and Ruby squirm nervously.

"Now you're getting it on your feeling good. You just lost your virginity after all you have no reason not to feel good." "Hey! How do you know I'm a virgin!?"  
"One, because you just said it. Two because well just _look at you_ …" Kage said as he eyed the blonde up and down giving Jaune a major confidence hit in the process.

"Now back to the story. You would be feeling good enjoying the feeling of getting your dick rode for the first time then all of a sudden you _feel it_. You're getting close you're nearing your climax, and you're about to cum. That's when she says _don't._ She would tell you not to cum until she does. Now, this is your first time, after all, so your pretty nervous and a teacher breaking your dick on a table is already a pretty good experience, so you say you have to. She says _don't_ once again and picks up the pace."

"Now you are only so human, so you scream one last time and cum. Then you know what she does the moment you pop? She blows your brains out!" Kage said making Jaune freeze on the spot.

* * *

"What?!" He asked as the color drained from his face as Kage's brown eyes locked onto his blue one. "She kills her own students?!" Jaune asked incredulously.

"Yup! She fucks em and kills them when they cum before her. She prefers doing it to first years, but she'll do it to anybody." Kage admitted as they turned a corner in the marble hallways.

"That can't be legal! What about the school rules!" The knight asked incensed at the casual loss of life.

"Jaune what part about _full authority_ did you not understand? See is a teacher at _Bastion_. A school for the literal _worst of the worst._ She can do whatever the hell she wants with us! As long as she is teaching us the rules. The teachers don't give two craps about us, and as long as enough of us still breathing they don't give two shits about the rest of us!" Kage spat out as he grumbled bitterly.

"He's right _bossman!_ She would have chewed you up and spit you out! We would be looking for a new leader right now, after mopping your brains up of course." Mika added in an oddly respectful tone of voice as they walked.

"That's horrible! Why would she ever do that!?" Ruby asked as her prosthetic eye whined in agreement as it stuck out of her head making the girl cry out in pain as she grasped at her fake eye. "She was going to kill me…"

"Yup. And then dump the body on the entryway to the class as a reminder." Kage said before Jaune fixed him a look.

"You seem awfully knowledgeable about this Kage. How do you know so much about her?"

"Because he fell into her trap!" Mika said happily from behind him grinning ear to ear. As her pure white teach mirrored her paper like skin as she walked up to him. "She tricked Kage into a night of _rough_ and _passionate_ lovemaking! The only reason why he's here right now is he was a tough shot and outlasted her for the first time. After that, he's been avoiding her like the plague, and she's been trying to get him back in her bed!" Mika added making Kage sigh in frustration.

"She has a point. I was stupid once. And I won't be that stupid ever again. I got lucky then I don't like relying on luck to win my battles." Kage said as Mika open her mouth.  
"Speaking of battles, it's time for our next class! _Combat!"_ Mika said as she squealed with glee.

* * *

"GO KAGE!" Mika shouted as they watched Kage brutalized the large man he was fighting. Jaune was shocked by the Bastion combat arena. It was _huge_ ten times larger than Beacons easily. As Jaune watched the rows after rows of student cheering the fight and the massive big screen tv screen showed Kage breaking open a man's head like a ripe melon, with one of his pistols before slamming him onto the sand floor before to a wave of applause walking out of the ring. The arena with crazy as cheers and jeers fill the ar as students of all years sang their approval of rapport and the outcome as a chorus of _~Veeennnke!~ ~Veeennke~_! Filled the air as Jaune looked down to see the familiar form of Hino and Zach both cheering wildly for their friend. As Hino wrapped Zach in one of her massive arms as he punched the air as Kage won the fight.

"Now! Onto our next fight!" The announcer said as the remaining combatant was dragged out by a Bastion medical detail. Jaune winced as he knew that Bastion fights had no aura limits and the fights would put initiate students without aura against those with, they went until one could no longer fight by injuring of being deceased the pictures on TV blurred in rapid motion as the next opponent as randomly generated.

"Our next meet will be.." The announcer pauses as a number of squares filled the big screen filling the room with an aloud whirring noise as they ran through the lists. " _Ruby Rose!_ Punishment! Versus… _Braxton Savage!_ Punishment!" The announcer as a picture of Ruby's face complete with one red eye was put next to the massive student as the announcer finished the combatant's names causing the stands to cheer. " Will Ruby Rose and Braxton Savage please make their way to the arena! Your fight is about to go on!"

* * *

I don't want to fight you!" Ruby said as her eye immediately started scanning her opponent. _: Braxton Savage. Height seven foot nine inches. Weight three hundred fifty-eight pounds. Distance ten yards one foot eight inches. Threat level high._ Her eye read s a large targeting reticule appeared on his bald forehead. "Ha! Weak words form a weak opponent! I'll have you know I fight to the death girly, so if you don't want to die I suggest you come ready to kill!" Braxton said as slapped a massive hand over his meaty exposed chest.

"I don't want to kill you!" Ruby pealed as she gripped _Crescent Rose_ tightly as her red finished fully integrating with her weapon. AN green integration complete flashed don her eye's hud as she stared at her opponent.

 _"That makes one of us!_ " Braxton said before the announcer yelled, "Begin!" And the fight was on.

Ruby moved first using her semblance to instantly skirt Braxton's reach briefly compensating for the sand flooring and peppered him with sniper shots. The man was so large he was impossible to miss as she put round after round into his thickly over the muscled backside. " _Stay still_!"

He roared as he tossed a massively spiked chain mace at her making the girl gasp as the bowling ball like spike object nearly took her face off as she dashed to the sides a flurry of rose petals and sand before opening fire on him again.

Braxton roared as his tanned skin was pelted with sniper rifle fire as his aura absorbed the first of the barrage. As Ruvy hit blow after blow she felt a nagging feeling in the back of her mind as she fought him. Unlike in Beacon the only aura levels that were shown were on the massive big screen television as Ruby had _no_ idea how much aura the large man head left.

"Surrender now, and I won't have to hurt you!" Ruby pleaded not knowing what to do. If she kept shooting him _eventually_ his aura would fail, and he would be severely wounded! As she remembered the Bastion staff never called fight until somebody was either incapacitated or dead. Whatever came first as she switched up tactics charging him for a devasting forward slash as she easily dodged his large overly cumbersome chain mace as her eyepiece saw an apparent _strategic weakness_ as it called it as she slashed forward.

The first of the three strikes were devastating, as Crescent Rose struck true tearing chunks out of his aura as Braxton roared in anger. He tossed his large weapon in a wide looping arc hoping to hit Ruby with an overlapping swing but failed miserably. His weapon was clearly made for dealing with large armored, slow opponents. And it was _woefully_ ineffective at hitting fast moving agile opponents like herself. As she dipped and dodged the clunky weapon. " _Just stay still!_ " He howled as Ruby gathered herself for another attack. She head to admit running on sand was _much_ harder than running on anything else really.

Even snow was more natural in her opinion. As she charged at him ok, the eye said to hit his neck right here! Ruby thought as she brought her scythe down in devasting downward slash only to be rewarded by the sound of metal tearing _flesh_ as her scythe broke through his aura and tore right into the bone...

* * *

Ruby screamed, Braxton, yelled as Crescent Roese made quick work of his body, quickly and rather violently ripping open half of his neck and most of his chest cavity, tearing cleanly through flesh and bone alike as the large scythe cleaved his hip from the thigh. Ruby gasped loudly as hot blood hit her face dying her body the color of her cape as the large boy fell to his knees.

"You bastard! I'll make you pay for this!" He shouted as he coughed up large harsh mouthfuls of blood as he stared the small red reaper.

" _Someone!_ Somebody, please call for help!" Ruby shouted as she rushed back in forth in the arena. Her semblance taking her up and down the sand lengths in a matter of seconds as she desperately called for help. "Somebody! Please! He is going to die an-  
 _"Get back here and fight me!_ I came to fight so damn well face me!" Braxton coughed as blood left his mouth and Ruby panicked.

She didn't know what to do. If she did nothing, the fight would never end, and he would bleed out making her murdered?! No that can't happen! Ruby thoughts ed him. If I can disable him to the point where he can't fight then they will call the match! She thought as she desperately charged him.

"I'm sorry!" Ruby yelled as she brought down Crescent Rose four times. Twice on his legs once on each of his Achilles' tendons the other two on his wrist making him drop his weapon and collapsed to the ground. Even still he persisted….

"That all you got?! I Know dead people who swing harder fool! Just get back here and fight me!"  
"What is wrong with you!? Can't you see I'm trying to help you!?" Ruby pleaded with him as he spat a red wad of phlegm at her.

"I don't need your pity woman! Either kill me now or let me die! Either way its all ready over..." He demanded of her eye glowed red as it locked on.

 _: Targeting path locked. Analyzing route… analyzing…. Analysis complete attack path plotted and sent._ Her eye said as Ruby was shown a planned takedown. If she stabbed him there, he would surely have to quit! She thought sprinted at the large man and Ruby never saw it coming. As she swung down her weapon, it made the _slightest_ alteration in its attack on its original target, severing a set of tendons that would have made it impossible for him to continue slammed itself instead head first into Braxton's skull, impaling the tip of Crescent Rose straight through his face killing him instantly….

"Winner _Ruby Rose!_ Gaining her first arena kill in her first combat debut no less! Let's give her a warm round of applause everybody! Give it up for the debut of the _Red Reaper of Bastion!_ " The announcer called out as the crowd cheered wildly for Ruby as she dropped to her feet as her heat thudded out of her chest. Her breaths came out in short jagged burst as she looked at the crumbled bleeding man who was still impaled by her weapon.

"I…. I… I Killed him?" Ruby thought before tears broke her face as she grabbed her weapon. Ripping it free from the dead man's head. Almost losing her lunch as the sickening SLURP! The sound of metal reaving flesh filled her ears before she ran off in a trail of rose petals.

* * *

" YAY! She did it!" Mika cheered loudly as Jaune looked on horrified as Ruby planted her scythe right through the man's skull. The blade of _Crescent Rose_ easily pierced through flesh and bone as the weapon end the man's life. "Winner Ruby Rose!" The announcer said before the entire arena cheered for her. It was deafening as a wave of applause and streamers? Found their way to the combat arena where the young girl looked ready to break. the camera had zoomed in on her face as she collapsed on the sand floor as her hands gripped her side as she began to shake.

"Uh oh, ladies and gents! Looks like we got ourselves a case of stage fright here! Let's give her some more applause what do you say?" the announcer asked before the applause doubled in volume before Ruby took her scythe ripping it free form his skull as Kage gripped his arm. "Go get her." He said as Ruby sprinted away in a storm of rose petals...

* * *

" _Ruby, it's ok…"_  
"No, it's not! Jaune it's not ok! I _killed_ a man!" "Ruby shouted to him as she lay curled up in his bed. Ruby was beside herself crying deep in her mattress as the bloodied form of Crescent Rose lay next to her. It will head a tuft of brains and blood around it as she had not packed it up form scythe form.

"Ruby it's all 'Stop telling me it's all right! I killed somebody Jaune! Nad not like before in Vacuo! I killed a man in a fight. I saw him die. Do you know how that made me feel!?" She creaks as her body sobbed into her pillow.

"Ruby I Can't begin to imagine how bad that made you-

"That's the thing Jaune! I didn't! I didn't feel bad!" Ruby said as she broke out of her covers on her bed and her one remaining eyed spilling a free wall of tears as her prosthetic whirred up to him glowing balefully in the process.  
"Ruby what do you mean you _didn't_..." Jaune asked as the girl cried into his arms.  
"Jaune I _didn't_ feel bad after I killed Braxton! Not at all! Jaune... _I didn't feel bad... Jaune_ _I liked it!"_

* * *

 ** _AN_ : ANother Bastion chapter done! This one with a light look on the school's inner workings! There was the first team arena fight and Ruby got her kill! I know her reaction isn't typical but I always wanted to see her like that. Always guessed she would like killing, I mean really look at her scythe... Well until next time expect all the possible references so until then take care of yourselves and thank you for reading.**


	10. Pillarone I (Can't get no) Satisfaction

**Bastion time boys! Let's see what our favorite new team is getting up to! Or into as the needs may vary! Like this fic? Leave a comment or revies, until then take care and enjoy reading!  
**

* * *

"You… you _liked_ it?" Jaune asked not believing the words that were coming out of his best friends mouth.

"Yes! Jaune I liked killing him!" Ruby said as her small body shook and cowered under the pale Bastion bed sheets. Her sole remaining silver eyes bled tears while her mechanical one whirred an extended as it's baleful glow reached out to him.

"I'm sure you're overreacting! Yeah, that's it! You probably are just running high off of-

"Jaune I _enjoyed_ killing him," Ruby said as her body shook like someone had put a live wire in it.

"I _loved_ the feeling of my blade as the metal cut through his skin! I _felt_ his muscles part and his bones his muscles split and the bone broke?! Jaune I loved that feeling more than anything other my life!" Ruby stated as Jaune stared at her dumbstruck.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His best friend actually _enjoyed_ the taking of somebody's life. As he looked to the quaking silver eyed girl words failed the boy. He wanted to say something, anything to make his friends feel better but the words turned to ash the moment his opened his mouth. As he tried to speak the girl cont to cry as she wept on the bed sending soft small sounds through the room.

"Ruby… I don't know what to say, but I know what to do. I don't know how I feel about you liking killing but I promise you that no matter what I'll stick by you and will stay by your side ok?" Jaune asked as the girl stopped shaking a bit, as the lone silver eye looked at him as her mechanical one whirred in confusion.

"You, you really mean that?" Ruby asked was Jaune nodded one as he sat on her bed.

"Of course I do. I've got your back this time an always, I promised to get us both home remember? An and Arc-

" _An Arc never goes back on his word_." Ruby finish as her shaking subsided as she stared at him a rare true smile, the first since they arrived at the school as she nodded once as he patted her head things were going to be _ok…._

* * *

 _SLAHS! BANG! SKLURK!_ The shining of metal was all of her vision as her red trimmed sight regarded the scene in front of her. It was _beautiful…._ _Cresent Rose_ head just cut through the shoulder of a man as he screamed in agony as Ruby brought her scythe down onto him. The man curs as he flipped the fun satan once and pulling back ripping out his abdomen as the scythe tore right through him _Ruby was in heaven…_

It was _incredible!_ The sound of metal cutting flesh, the piercing ring an of a well-aimed sniped round taking off a head, the sound, and sight of her baby running red with blood? _Her blood was on fire!_ Her veins _sang_ her praise as she brought the blade down, again and again, she works in such rapid series of motions and spikes that not even she could tell what she was hitting. She simply struck, _again and again_. Relishing the feeling of metal cutting flesh as her body was set ablaze, it was like there was an inferno inside of her as she cut and sliced until there was simply no more to be slashed as her opponent fell to ribbon on the blood-stained sand floor of Bastion, her was her first this week but he would not be her last… not by a long shot….

"That was amazing!" Mika shouted as the announcer declared the twelfth arena straight victory for Ruby. Or as she was now colloquially known _The Red Reaper of Bastion_. As Jaune looked on in shock he didn't want to believe it. He _refused_ to believe that his cute adorable friend could kill somebody, anybody with _that look_ of pure _ecstasy_ stitched across her face.

Jaune saw it every time her blade went down. Every time her scythe cut flesh. As metal split bone and dice flesh whenever _Crescent Rose_ came down Ruby face become one of pure ecstasy and _pleasure_. As her silver eye dilated to previously unseen levels as her mechanical one whirred in tracking Ruby was having the time of her life-fighting people, and she was _massacring_ them.

"That was great!" Mika said as the four members of team ARKM turn into the Bastion hallway. Combat class was over and the time had come for lunch. As the walked down the hallways the center of the hall the entirety of the first year populations seemed to make room for them, Jaune grimaced as whispers half muddled he knew as they wake they had gained quite a reputation in Bastion as the strongest first-year team and they were _definitely_ not ones to mess with.

Bastion's arena fights were apparently what decided the school's social hierarchy and them ARKM was _undefeated_. In the three weeks since Ruby had her first battle Team, ARKM was on a rampage of wins. Ruby had won her _twelfth_ straight arena fight in a row all of them against bigger opponents an all of them ending in bloody kills for the girl as he looked on in pure glee. _She was their Reaper_.

Then came Mika his most dangerous teammate who fought with equal fervor if not more sadistic tendencies. While more sadistic in Ruby used her scythe to cut down as many times as proof the weapon sheer built often meant that many who were struck usually bleed out or died quickly enough, Mika However? Mika was different, Mika liked to _watch_ you suffer.

Her trademark weapon the flamethrower now know as _Chastifold_ was used mainly on all of her opponents sending them into a charred mess as she barbequed her opponents, she rarely if ever used her hatchet as she danced around her opponents she cooked them with a manic grin as they begged and screamed for mercy. The only time she didn't have a grin was when her opponents were faunus.

Then she took on an _almost_ regretful stance as she cooked the unfortunate students alive. Like she was regretting her action. He could have sworn he even caught Mika saying _"what a waste."_ under her breath as she charbroiled the faunus as she looked longingly to her slim ax that was holstered on her hip resting on her odd assortment of furs. Jaune said _almost_ fore he was convinced Mika was both physically or mentally unable to show regret in any form as she butchered her way through the arena. _She was their psychopath._ Next came _Kage._

Jaune liked him the most out of the Bastion Students he knew, one of the main reason the Kage seems to honestly care about him and Ruby to some extent and was relatively sane for a Bastion student. As he walked by the boy. He had also been on a win streak in the arena and for good reason he stared forward as his bright crimson colored armor was neatly caked in Bastion sand. Kage _was a soldier._ Whenever he entered the arena he fought with mechanical precision, no action wasted and every movement seemed to be carefully rehearsed and thought about. He used his twin massive pistols whom he dubbed _Bolt pistols_ to rain death on his enemies.

Who apparently shot miniature semi guided rockets. An technical talk that had Ruby enamored with him for hours on end as he tried to discuss how the hell he managed to fit miniature rockets into a pistol without them exploding and how they were so damned accurate. As they walk Jaune also liked how Kage seemed to fight without malice or anger. He never gloated never bosted only simply struck. He fought in the arena like it was hygiene tasks. Something to be done quickly and efficiently, not to be _enjoyed_ or _loathed_ but just _done_ and done well.

He also ended his fights with his opponents being killed or incapcitead by his monstrous pistols 0.75 caliber shells, ammunition. although Jaune noticed that Kage _always_ gave his opponents any chance to surrender during combat. And if they took it he accept it graciously and would let them live. Unfortunately they only did do once and the man was allready half dead with his intestines disintegrated and torso blown open by massive pistol round detonation. _Kage was their soldier._ The last of the undefeated group was Jaune himself.

Jaune had graced the arena sands of Bastion _three_ times since arriving . Each time he found an skilled opponent who took him to death's door _multiple_ times. At first Jaune tired to bargain with them telling then he would offer mercy if they just surrendered. His compassion almost cost him his life multiple times. It took his second arena fight his opponents nearly managed to take his head off with a weapon Kage dubbed as a _las whip_ , a split coil of energy for Jaune to us his now default strategy, of incapacitating an opponent as quickly as possible only to take them out and leave them for Bastion's medical detail to take over. _Jaune was the pragmatist._

"You did well Ruby." Kag said as he cleaned part of his scarlet armor, while his brown eye stared at Ruby's; Silver and red ones "Thanks Kage." She said shyly as the turned a corner. The four strongest first-year students turned as one as they enter the hallway as the _Reaper, the Psychopath, the Soldier, and the Pragmatist_ turned the corner and entered the cafeteria they were unstoppable and everyone knew that...

* * *

"This food is terrible!" Ruby said as she forced another fork full of what appeared to white cardboard in cubed form into her mouth. As Jaune struggled to swallow his load of _protein_ as Bastion so eloquently put it, the small pale cube that resembled a sugar cube in size and had the taste and texture of cardboard as he ate the _nutrients_. "Welcome to the Bastion cafeteria. Where all our food is both delicious and nutritious." kage said sarcastically as he dipped his cube into a meat past that permeated their dishes. At least the past was _almost_ tasteful it being made from meat and all. Jaune thought ruefully as he ate.

"The food taste great! I don't know what you guys are talking about!" Mika said as she shoved forkful after forkful into her mouth. Jaune head no idea how she could eat his food but after so much time with Mika he learned to stop asking ques an just go with the flow.

"You got some moves there _Red!_ Good work." The gruff voice of Zach said as he sat opposite of the table. His messy black hair was smoothed over and spread across his scalp as he fumbled with his cubes. The splinidant green combat arom he always wore was accent by his dual pistols as he ate his food. " _You are quite skilled Ruby_."

The calm voice of Hino said as sat next to her dining partner and teammate. As she ate her short brown hair swayed softly as she delicately put spoon after spoon of Bastions food into her mouth. Her large pneumonic drills hung out dangerously form her wrist as she ate.  
"It is good to see you _adjusting_ to your new home so well. Most do not find it _agreeable_ when they first get here, so it is nice to see someone who not only likes the arena fighting but enjoys them. In fact, you could say you took to it like an fish to water no?" Hino asked as Ruby went silent. The girl was still confused and not happy with love for death. As she began to fidget and squirm in her seat.

"BS! That's what _you_ think!" Zach said as he eyed Ruby carefully. His jet black eyes locking on hers as he stared at her. "She _wants_ you to think she enjoys killing but you _don't_. Trust me you hide it pretty well _almost_ enough to fool me but I see _right_ through you kid! I know a true killer when I see one and you don't got the walk! Oh, don't get me wrong! you are a _cold-blooded murderer!_ I see you in the arena you _definetly_ enjoy slicing up a man but you don't like killing."

"Oh no there's something else in it for you. I can see it clear as day. That look you get when you cut a man that panicked face when you think people _might_ know what you're really feeling? I've seen it time and time again, I don't know _what_ you're getting out of these arena fights but simply enjoying killing is it. Trust me I know what killer looks like, I mean look at that one over there!" He said pointing it to Mika who was now drinking a cup of water as she ate her food.

"Hiya!" Mika said as she waved her paper white hand at Zach you shuddered involuntarily. " _Fucking psychopath._ " He muttered before turning his gaze back at Ruby.

"I"m not saying you doing it on purpose kid, but what I _am saying_ is this. You _don't_ enjoy the killing part of combat. You like something entirely different, I don't know what, maybe you like the thrill of battle or the feeling of cutting flesh with you scythe either way, you're getting a rush from something other than death. To be short your a _junkie_ whose looking for her fix. And in my _professional_ opinion, you need to find out what you fix is _before it finds you_." Zach said as he went back to eating. Jaune was about to speak before he looked to Ruby and saw her. She was shaking in her seat…

* * *

 _How did he know!?_ Ruby thought as sat in her Bastion bedas cup her face in her hand That was to close! She thought as she wondered how to explain herself. Zach was right. She _didn't_ enjoy kilig that made her sick! But whenever she _cut_ something or when she _split_ flesh and bone it sent waves of electricity throughout her body. It felt like she was alive and on fire at the same time! Her bones felt lighter than air and she wanted to move to shout to fight! But then _it_ happened. She head no idea what _it_ was but whenever she cut she felt like somebody had lit and inferno in her chest that spread through her body, it stated in her chest and ended at her groin. She had no idea what this strange hot felling was other than it felt _incredible,_ but she was determined to find out one way or the other….

* * *

Team ARKM was _not_ doing well. As the four teenagers fell into their respective beds this week had been their hardest one yet. They had fought int and arena fight every. Single. Day. They were all called to do battle in the sand pits. And that plus classes and just pure _stress_ was finally wearing the team down. It had started as an snow ball but was now threatening to become an avalanche as the final straw was cast today.

"I Can't take it any more!" Ruby finally shouted making her leader grimace. He knew what she was talking about an foun dom irony in that a simple thing might bring team ARKM down.

"If we are going to fight, bleed and almost die every day then the last we can do is get a good meal before we do!" Ruby shouted as the rest of her team looked forward and nodded once in a great. It was food. The baln cardboard foo that predominated the caferi finally broke their spirits as Ruby cracked in her pressure.

"It's not fair! If we risk our lives every day we should at least get _decent_ food! Not that cardboard stuff they give us! I remember when we were in Beacon and- Her words were cut off as the girl aps as a loen tear fell from her silver eye as her red one whirred in distress.

"But you _not_ in Beacon are you?" Mika ase as stared at her _friend_ from her bed. She was currently laying on her back using her axe as back support for an stack of pillows three high.

"Everyone risks their live Ruby. Why should we be treated any better?" Kage asked her as the girl fumed..

"But still there should be some way of getting better food! I mean its ridiculous!"  
"But there _is_ an way of getting better food! We can always join the _Death Korps!"_ Mika shouted as Kage instantly bolted up from his bed a look of panic across his face.

"The _Death Korps?_ What's that?" Ruby asked as Kage open his mouth.

"Oh hell! Not that again!" Kage said as eyed his friend warily as Jaune had a flashback.

Bastion sponsored groups, _Death Korps_ join today for better rations!

"Isn't that a school sponsored group?" Jaune asked as Ruby stared at him .

"You mean like a club?"

"Yes! The _Death Korps_ are _exactly_ like and after school club!" Mika said happily as she smile bright. "They also will give us better food if we join up!" Mika said as Jaune and Ruby's mouth dropped.

"Where do we sign up!?"  
"Hold up an minute! You do _not!_ Want to join the _Death Korps_! Mika stop giving them ideas!" Kage shouted the girl gave him a cheshire smile.

"But Kage! They said they wanted to get better food! And the Death Korps _dose_ offer _gourmet_ meals for all their soldiers …."

"Did you say gourmet?" Ruby asked as Jaune heard her stomach growling before he did the same.

"The food here is pretty subpar. Maybe we should give the _Death Korps_ an chance?" He admitted before Kage shot up.

"Ok listen up! I know you're new but this is ridiculous! Jaune! Do you _want_ to die!? To never go home to Beacon your friends or your girlfriend that you _say_ you love so much!? Because I can almost _guarantee_ you that joining the _Death Korps_ is a sure fire way to an early grave!" Kage said as he stood up.

"The _Death Korps can_ 't be that bad Kage. Come on." Jaune hazarded trying to make light of the situation as he fished out the brochure he took from the wall.

"It says right here that if you join the _Death Korps_ they will guarantee you not only better meals, but better living arrangements improved room conditions. And they will cut our mandatory mission in _half!?_ Kage this sounds incredible!" Jaune said finally finishing the paper as Kage stiffened Jaune I'm warning you. if we join the _Death Korps_ _we are all going to die."_

"It's better to die with soem good of then whatever the slop they serve us here!" Ruby said as she stood up.

'Let's put it to an vote.' Jaune said as he got up. "All in favor of joining the Death Korps say aye.

"Aye!" Ruby shouted as she put her hand up in the air.

"Me to! AYE! Mister ~ _bossman!~_ Miak sang to Juane making him shiver.

"Nay! Every day! I don't want to be dead by tomorrow!" Kage said making Jaune have the tie break vote.

"I think we should atleas try, I Vote Aye!" Jaune as the girls cher an Kage siged. " _We are all going to die,"_ he said before Jaune rolled back on his bed and closed his eyes.

* * *

"You are all here today because you have chosen to be better!" The man in the large black overcoat said as he stalked over to them. They were in the required training program for all Death Korps initiates. They got up at the crack of dawn to go meet a man in dark overcoat a pure back boots pants armor and storm coat as he stalked the new students of Bastion. He was tall around six foot seven as he walked to them Jaune felt himself freeze in terror as he saw his _face_. The man wore a largely pronounced dark gas mask that seemed to be staring into his very soul As he watched the two large endless black armored eyes stared into him. There was around twenty of them All dazed sleep deprived punishment or initiation class student as they assembled on the dewy Bastion grass.

"Now we will embark on the _first_ part on your training _endurance_. We will start the day with a twelve-mile run, we will be jogging along a predetermined path and report back here for further training." He said as he made the student line up in three by three running lines before they started jogging. It was already ridiculous, a twelve mile run this early i the day l was insane in Jaune thought as the leader shouted a warning.

"Be aware! I _will shoot_ the _first_ one of you to fall behind so keep moving!" He shouted as he brandished a massive pistol similar to Kage's but his and glowing blue core as he brandished it.

" _Plasma pistol."_ Kage as as the group began to run. " I can do this!"Ruby shouted as she suddenly went ahead in a burst of speed and rose petals.

" _Miss Rose!_ Did I _say_ break formation!? Get back in line and jog with the rest of us!" The man barked at her in a harsh clipped tone as Ruby sulked back in line with the others blushing furiously.

"Now every prepare to _cadence!_ Repeat after me" The man said Jaune looked at Kage.  
" Here it comes. Get your lungs ready." Kage said as the man began to sing…

"~ _Up in the morning to the rising sun!~"_ The man shouted as the tone as carried by the students.

"~! _Up in the morning of the rising sun!~"_  
 _"!Run all day till the runnings done!"_  
 _"Run all day till the runnings done!~"_  
 _"~When **you** die in the combat zone!~"_  
 _ **"~When** we did in the combat zone!~"_

"~ _Box **you** up and ship you home!~"_  
 _"~Box **us** up and ship us home!~" _  
_"~Tell your momma you did your best!~"_  
 _"~Tell **my** momma I did my best!~"_  
 _"~Pin your medals upon my chest!~"_

"~ _Pin **my** medals upon our chest!~" _  
_"~ **One two three our I love the Death Korps**!~"_  
 _"~ **One two three four I love the Death Korp** s!~"_

"~ ** _One two three four Bastion Death Korps?"_**  
 _"~ **One two three four Bastion Death Korps!~** "_  
 _"~ **My Korps!~"**_

"~ ** _My Korps!~"_**  
 _"~ **Your Korps!~"**_

"~ ** _Your Korps!~"_**

"~ ** _Our Korps!~"_**

"~ ** _Our Korps!~"_**

 **"~ _Death korps!~"_**

 **"~ _Death Korps!~"_**

" ~ _Up in the morning to the rising sun!~"_  
 _"~Up in the morning to the rising sun!~"_

"~ _Run all day till the runnings done!~_

"~ _Run all day till the runnings done…~"_

* * *

Jaune felt like death when he crashed to the warm Bastion earth. HUH! He gasped as he spat large wads of phlegm as bod shook and shuddered. It felt liek he was breathing Jagged shards of glass as his lungs tired to cope with work out he had just been put through. The run was not just twelve it was twenty four miles long! Twelve miles there and back. As he hit the ground gasping he saw Ruby practically faint as she fell face first not even bothering to catch herself as he did.

"Good work initiates!" The tall man said as stomped over to the gasping forms of the trainees. He head run with them the entire time in heavy armor no less! But he was still perfectly fine as he walked up and down their lines. _Bastard!_ Jaune thought as he died internally as the man put away his plasma piotr. Was he really going to shoot one of us for breaking line? Surely not. The _Death Korps would Never shoot one of their own people_. Jaune thought as the man barked another order. " Ok initiates breaks over! Time for your real training to begin!"

"I can't feel my _anything!_ Ruby gasped as she laid face first on her bed. As she crashed on it, Jaune watched with empathy as he was barely able to walk without coughing up a lung. " I hope these things were worth it." Jaune said to himself as he looked to the four slim pieces of white plastic in his hand. They were the Bastion Death Korps ration cars. HE as been ive the instructions give them to the cafeteria staff so they would know what to feed them.

" _That was fun! Lets run again!"_ Mika shouted as she coughed and wheezed on her bed. Her pale was cherry red as the exercise finally got to her. As she breathed for her life.

" _I told you we shouldn't have gone! You think this is rough? Wait till we get an actual Death Korps mission! Then you'll see what tough is!"_ Kage shouted half gasped he laid heavily on his bed. His body was panting heavily but he was good shape overall as his red combat armor was apparently coming in handy giving him extra endurance.

" _Let's see if it was all worth it."_ Jaune said as he rallied his team up for their final battle of the day dinner…

* * *

"This. Is. Heaven!" Ruby shouted as dug into her food. As she spoke tears fell from her eye as she did. Jaune was forced to agree completely as he looked to his meal. It was steak! No more protein cubes and meat paste. Jaune now had a fresh _succulent_ red steak in front of him. It was grilled rare and bleeding fresh blood. Piled high with mashed potatoes and butter. On His right was tall cup of water and in the middle of his meal were several stacks of buttered dinner rolls.

Ruby's diner was piles of chicken freshly girll and steaming, with a plate of pizza and a mound of fresh chocolate chip cookies.

To his right Kage had been steadily devouring a ever disappearing mound of _thinly fired tubers_. That covers a colossal piece of red meat. Jaune head no idea what the meat was but it was blood rare lan look delicious.

To his opposite Mika sad devouring a plate of what looked like cake? Why she was eating cake for dinner was a mystery as she devoured the ever disappearing mound of cake, followed by lobster, crabs, and shrimp. As the feasted into their meals a voice rang out in front of them .

"Damn! You all get to eat like kings! Maybe we should join the Death Korps ay, Hino?" Zach asked his teammate who shrugged nonchalantly. "We would have to ask our leader first, and you know how he is." She replied evenly as they ate their pale cubes.

"Do I! The crafty stalker! I don't need him on my ass!"Zach grumbled as the team's devoured their respective food….

* * *

 _Life finds a way…_ That phrase rang true as Ruby lied alone in her bed. It was unbearable. The pain she was currently in. All her muscles felt like pools of putty as the twelve two way mile runs and hars Death Korps training finally too their toll. The training while good was unbelievably hard an unforgiven. The instructors even went so far as to use live ammunition during drills! As shetou about this her _eye_ whirred and she felt like an ice pick was being driven into her skull. "AHH!" She cried as the ice pick struck again, and _again_ as it broke into her brain making the girl cry tears of pain.

"I hate this." Ruby said sadly ash cried to herself in the room alone. " I hate this school! I hate this room! I want my old team back! I want _my friends back!_ I mss team RWBY…. I even Miss Weiss! Sure she was a bit crabby and mean but she was my partner and more than that she was my friend." Ruby thought as she sniffled to herself as she pulled the covers over her head. " I hate this place…" Ruby though as curled into a fetal position.

"I don't think we'll be here long." A voice said from behind as as the familiar form of Jaune sat on her bed.

"Hi Jaune, are you here to make me feel better?" Ruby asked with a bit too much sarcasm as the blonde smiled. She didn't even hear him come in. Some leader I turned out to be. Ruby thought as Jaune put a hand on her head.

Instantly the pain in her head fell away as his hand stoked her. It acted as some type of pain suppressant as Ruby found herself drawn to the smooth circular motions of Jaune's hand.

"I hate this place as well. I miss my team. I miss Ren's stoic one liners, I miss Nora's eccentricities that _didn't_ involve first degree murder, And I Miss Pyrrha. But we have to keep moving Ruby. If we give up here we will _never_ meet them again. So _please_ be strong we just need to hold out a little longer ok?"

Jaune as as he finally felt himself break . The stress was too much. As much as he tried to hide it or have a brave face for Ruby the stress of fighting for his life, seeing people die _brutal_ deaths dial had slowly worked down his resistance and he was crumbling. There was too much pain too much endless fear in his heart. As he wondered if he would _ever_ go into team JNPR's dorm again.

Jaune never knew when he started to cry only that Ruby held him as he did. He returned her embrace as they hugged each other tightly in the pitch black room. As the both realized what they had lost and worse yet, what they had still yet to lose. But there was hope!

It was not an endless tunnel. They just needed to hold out for _two_ more months then the would go to VYTAL an be set free. Iyt seemed so far but it had to be coming soon. If it didn't Jaune had no die how they could last. The stress the fear the-

"Cigarette?" A familiar voice asked as Jaune as the tall form of Kage. still in his crimson combat armor as held out a box of slim white sticks.

'No thanks Kage. But thanks for the gesture anyway." Jaune said as Kage firmly held out the box again.

"They'll take the stress away." He offers as blinding fast red head shot out and grabbed one.

"Ruby!?" Jaune asked as the girl grabbed a stick and put it in her mouth.

"Jaune I can't take it any more! I need _something_ to make this easier. If this takes the stress away then so be it!" She thought as she bit onto the cigaret already hating it's taste and texture. .

"Good choice Red, What about you _boss_? You want to _taste the dessert_ as well?" Kage asked as Jaune hesitated a moment before deciding that Ruby shouldn't go through this alone. As he took a cigarette from the box and put in in his mouth.

"There we go now _breathe in_."" Kage said as an _click!_ Was heard in the room as a flash of light fill their vision as Kage let their cigarettes as they inhaled….

Jaune's eye widened to the size of dinner plates ashe felt the cool rich taste enter his mouth. It _actually_ tasted like the dessert! Jaune thought as he inhaled the rach smooth flavor of the cigaret as the taste of the deserts of Vacuo entered his mouth. As he smoked he felt it happen. All the stress, all the pain all the fear simply evaporated like it was never there. As he and Ruby smiled in a blissful realization.

"There better right? You taste the dessert yet?" Kage asked with a smug grin. As Jaune nodded once before Kage lit his own cigarette and inhaled deeply.

For n time the room was silent. As the pitch black interior was lighted only by three small red lights as the teens let their stress finally leave. They had no idea when Mika walked into the focused on their first real relaxation when a fouth light joined them in the dark as Mika came to their circle before she hopped over and joined them as their team enjoyed their first true moments of rest and relaxation….

* * *

 **AN: DONE! And what might have been one of by best Bastion chapters to date! At least in my opinion. Well, I hope you enjoyed I'm off to start on Endangered _Species_ so untill then take care and thanks for reading!  
PS. Like what your read tell me! comments and reviews are always welcome! Until then take care.**


	11. Pillar one Bird is the word

**AN:** **Bastion. Action. Bastion. Action.**

* * *

It was a harsh chilly Bastion morning as Jaune sat in the commander's tent. A sharp, cool breeze blew past his head as he gripped his body protectively woeing the fact that he didn't have anything warmer to wear and the fact that his light armor was not the best insulator in the world.

 _"Recaf?"_ A friendly voice said to his left as the feminine voice of Krix said not him s she appeared to his left with a boiling hot mug of black liquid in one hand and two small cups in the other one.  
 _'Recaf?_ What's that?" Jaune asked as Krix took the wooden stool next to him as they shared the large table in the commander's tent.

It was early morning already, and they were waiting in the Death Korps briefing tent before they got the final specifics for their mission. So far Jaune was almost entirely in the dark except for the fact that the mission was about the Death Korps specialty trench warfare or something like that. As he took a small white cup in hand Krix took the other as they both sat down on the table.

"It stands for re caffeinated beverage. It's made of a type of ground beans form Vacuo that when prepared correctly can give you a jolt of energy in the morning to get up and moving. "Don't you mean off-  
"Recaf Jaune here in Bastion we say Recaf," Krix explained calmly as her long pink hair flowed onto the table. She saw still tall. Jaune thought as he looked at the girl. Her R class collar still hung tightly on her neck as it whirred slightly every other second. Her skin was still almost paper white something that seemed to be a condition of prolonged exposure to Bastion's sunless hallways. Apparently, torchlight did _not_ supply enough nutrients to get you a tan. Who'd have thought?

'Sure I'll try it." Jaune said as he held up her glass to Krix who smiled brightly her sharp pink eyes that matched her hair almost stabbing him in his retinas as she poured him a steaming cup of black liquid.

"Try it _it's good."_ She said with a devilish smile as Jaune merely shrugged and put the drink to his mouth and took a large gulp. "Careful I like mine _strong,"_ Krix said as Jaune's eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he spat out the tar-like liquid in a way that Krix found to be entirely hilarious.

"What is that stuff?!" Jaune shouted as he finished spitting out the horrible black liquid that had just defiled his taste buds. Whatever this _Recaf_ was it tasted like hers tar with the texture like motor oil. It burned and was hard and if felt like somebody was literally taking a weed whacker to the inside of this throat in the process.

"Bit strong _ain't it?_ Trust me you'll learn to love it after a while it is an acquired taste. Just like smoking! I've seen you with those _Vacuo Slims._ Don't try to deny it I know you like a good smoke even after you spent all that time publicly saying that you would never smoke."

Krix said as Jaune shot her a dirty look. She replied by laughing in a sing-song voice before putting her strange assault file halberd weapon on the table as she began inspecting it.

Any further dialogue the two might have head was soon cut off as footstep approached the tent at the commander of this particular mission. The man wore grey combat fatigues, with a large black storm coat. Grey uniform, with combat boots, oversized plasma pistols as Kage had defined the strange blue sidearm and grim expressionless gas mask giving Jaune the feeling that the man could see right into his soul stepped into the room.

In short, he looked like _every other_ Death Korps commander as he gave them a swift nod of greeting before he stalked into the center of the room where a large map was displayed on the wall of their tent. Soon after the other team leader stumbled, a grumbled their way inside the tent as the briefing began in earnest.

" The mission will take place here!" The large man in the gas mask said as he slammed the large map that hung on the wall like animal skin with the flat end of his sword. "A _significant_ amount of White Fang presence has been established itself in this area know to the locals colloquially as the badlands. They have taken over large swaths of recourse filled land and fortified them heavily with miles upon miles of trenches. We are going to go there and take them out. Before I go into Mission details are there any questions about how we will be doing this mission?"

The man asked as he turned to face that gather assortment of Bastion leaders as they all gave him their total and utter attention.

" _Sir!_ How will we be getting the Fang out of their trenches? Since they are apparently well dug in it would appear that any direct attack would be difficult and present _heavy_ casualties to our forces." Jaune said as he fought his body to sit down. _Damned Recaf!_ Jaune swore silently as he felt like he was literally going to burst. Not only had the drink state terrible but it gave him the energy of a hundred syrup filled Nora's. As he fought the jitters to sit still.

He was doing his best to hide it from the assortment of leaders and officer but KRix knew what he was doing. She hides it under a shit eating grin that made Jaune want to strangle the pink haired girl with his bare hands.

" _Correct!_ Mister Arc. We will be taking these trenches, and we do expect heavy casualties along the way. Do not worry about the particulars of loss, only focus on completing your objectives as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible and you will be fine."

"Now to the plan. You will be dropped in via aerial bullhead incursion _here!_ " He said slamming another part of the map as he eyed the students carefully.

"After your initial deployment, you will then be charged with taking the first of three lines of these trenches. Don't worry about the rest of the mission will commence after we have bombarded the back lines with artillery shelling. You are to take the _middle_ line of trenches and you are to not under any circumstances go to the _eastern front._ If you do there are a series of fortified white fang positions. _Pillboxes, Bunkers, minefields etc._ There you will have to fight your way through to get to the evacuation point here!" He said hitting the map again as the assembled teenagers nodded once.

"But sir if we are going to be clearing out White Fang anyways why leave their fortifications? Surely we do not want them to have a fortified position in an area we just finished clearing right?" Krix asked the man as he nodded once.

"That is correct _Miss Chateaux._ We do not want the white fang to have a fortified position in an are we just finished clearing. However. We will not be letting them keep said fortified positions. You see after you push past the main line of trenches you will be upon the main resupply station for this local group of White Fang. Your orders are to if possible capture the station intact, if not burn it to the ground. This will destroy their supply lines for miles and render any remaining white fang surrounded, isolated and with our food or ammunition. Making them easy targets for our sapper crews to get to work on."

 _"After_ you have accomplished this objective and _not a minute_ before evacuation bullheads will come to ferry you home to Bastion for rest and recovery. Is there any questions?"

"One sir. How are we supposed to destroy this facility should we fail to capture it?" Jaune asked as he eyed the commander evenly as he points to the large map once again.

"For that, you will have to _improvise._ We have provided _some_ of your compatriots with death charges of the _X-6_ variety to incapacitate structures. Otherwise, you must think on your feet, or you will die. Any more questions?" "No? Then get moving! We don't; have all say to sit around now do we? We got a fight to win so come of Bastion Death Korps let's show these whiskered bastards what we're made of!"

* * *

"What's the play, _boss_?" Kage said as soon as Jaune mead out to the Bullhead landing zone as Team ARKM stepped onto the large transport ship as it roared into the sky. As the transport reached cruising speed teamARKM sat in a semi-circle around the end of the transport as Jaune depicted the plan to them.  
"It's trench warfare apparently-  
'Of course, it's _damned trench warfare!_ This is what I was talking about when you said you wanted to sign up for the _death korps!_ Have you ever seen trench warfare Jaune? _It's terrible!_ It is _literally_ the worst type of warfare in my opinion."

Kage said as he worked on his massive pistols as the ship lurched in vicious arc nearly sending Jaune off his seat as they hit a particularly rough spot of turbulence. He was _barely_ held in place by his restrains as Ruby patted his back affectionately as the ship righted itself and her leader continued to talk.

"I don't know why Kage is being such a _spoilsport!_ I mean the last time we did this it was fun! You have nothing to worry about ~Mister Bossman~" Mika sang to Jaune as he shined her axe to a fine edge. Jaune shudder as he watched the dull green bale sparkled in the bullhead residual light as the craft rocked and dipped.

"Says the one person with a _damned flamethrower!_ Of _course,_ you would like trench warfare you weapon's practically _built for it!_ "

 _"Guilty!"_ She said as she hit her ghostly face once with a near purely white fist in what was a _cute?_ Manner.

"Have you _ever_ stormed a trench Jaune? Cause if you haven't let me warn you it will be the single most _horrific_ experience of your life. I mean boss it's going to be everywhere, men screaming and dying by the dozens, the hard earth soaked with fresh blood. It is _not_ going to be a fun time."

"Maybe it will be ok? I mean we can't be in _that_ much danger! Trench warfare is the Death Korps _specialty after all!_ I'm sure they have come up with all sorts of ways to do this with _minimal_ risks to their own soldiers right?" Ruby asked as her mechanical eye whirred hopefully as Kage sighed.

"Kid you are an _optimist._ And while that _is_ a refreshing change of pace it's going to get you killed sooner rather than later so be on guard." Kage said to Ruby who looked like somebody had just kicked a puppy. Usually, Jaune would have attempted to berate Kage for his harsh words but one, Kaged seemed immune to all forms of insults, criticism, and opinions of others.

And two Kage might be right. They were going into a situation where half the team was utterly inexperienced in as a matter of life and death this could go very poorly very quickly. Jaune thought as the craft lurched again as put his head in his hands.

"At least they gave some damned artillery this time. I remember the last time we did this and head to clear all the trenches by hand. That took an eternity before we could finish and we were all half dead and bleeding out by the end of it." Kage spat out bitterly as he cleans his two massive pistols. As his crimson plate male shined in the dim sunlight.

"Those were good times weren't they Kage? It was Just you and me and the screams of dying faunus everywhere. To our left was white fang beg cooked alive in their masks while on our right was the butchered remains of the ones that came before them. It was fun wasn't it?"

"Me and you have very different definitions of fun. Mine usually involve staying as far away from the thing that wasn't to kill me as humanly possible. Not charging across a flat surface into assault weapon fire with no cover and no lines of retreat."  
"But that's what makes it fun! The danger of combat! The stress of knowing the only way to go is forward! Isn't that what makes life worth living!?"

"I think staying home and smoking a cigarette all day is what makes my life worth living. Preferably with a liquor that is at least _twice_ my age. Speaking of smoking."

Kage said as he took out a cigarette from one of his _many_ armor pouches. Ashe did Ruby instantly followed his example as she removes her own warm what stick and put in her mouth. Without hesitating Mika lit both of their cigarettes before lighting her own. Sighing Jaune put one into his mouth and waited as the pear scent form of Mika's perfume entered his nostrils he lights his cigarette with her flamer.

As Team ARKM sat in the bullhead, they took a long drag from their respective cigarette. Each was having a distinct feeling that they might _not_ be able to do this _ever_ again….

* * *

 _"GO! GO! GO!"_ A loud voice said as he bullhead let out a large mechanical groan as it dipped to its side. "ARMK! This it is! Remember our training! Keep it tight!" Jaune shouted as his team leaped out of the bullhead getting a lung full of harsh cold air for their troubles as they stepped feet first onto the badlands.

Jaune head absolutely _no_ idea what to expect of the so-called badlands. But to be fair, it was a fair description of the place. WHAM! Jaune's knees threatened to break as he hit the hard cold earth of the ground. He screamed internally as he crushed his knees as he took his first look at the land.

It was _dead_. The _entirety_ of the land was _dead._ It was bleak and sickly with a thin layer Tully fog that covered the dull grey earth giving it a morbid feeling. As a hard early morning air that entered his own as he surveyed the environment there was nothing but cold, flat, _dead,_ _grey_ earth. Harder than steel for miles and miles around. Ahead of him was the dull grey sky that was influenced by the sharp _WHUMP! CRACK_! Of artillery fire as plumes of smoke and fire on the far ends of the land. As the entirety of team ARKM hit the ground. _Pit!pit!pit!_

The sound of _flying rocks_ filled his ears as Jaune start to sprint. _Those aren't rocks._ Jaune said to himself as he sprinted for what appeared to be a massive gathering of Bastion students who had grouped up in a large trench.

 _Ignore the bullets_ Jaune. _Ignore the gunshots._ Just _keep running_ and _nothing_ will happen to you. Jaune repeated his mantra as he leaped into trench knees first. Quickly followed by Kage, Ruby, then Mika. Jaune smiled at Ruby as her baleful red eye regarded him whirring quickly before she dove into the trench line next to him. Jaune grinned at the girl who was _finally_ able to keep her running to a jog so she could keep up with the rest of their team and not leave them behind.

WHUMP! Jaune slammed onto a hard wooden board as the remainder of his team slammed against the cold, stale earth of the trench walls. It was cold damp, and it smelled like there was an open waste ditch nearby as they jumped into the first trench As Team ARKM landed in the channel Jaune saw the familiar form of _Horatio_ Standing at the head of the trench on the lookout.

" _Death Korps!_ This is it! We are taking the trench _now!_ Stick together work as a team and you _will_ survive!" Horatio yelled as he pointed to the enemy trench as the mass of student surged out and began sprinting forward.

" _Hell,_ here we go!" Kage grumbled as they pulled themselves out of the trench on the dull rickety wooden ladders that the trench had been installed on its fronts and ends. As Jaune climbed the dim ladder before he finally reached the precipice of the trench and stepped onto the cold earth. He took one look at the sickly fog-filled field in front of him he wished he had _died_ _on the firing line._

* * *

"RUN! RUN! Don't star sprinting!" A voice yelled loudly as Jaune stepped forward into a vision of heel. Blood, blood was everywhere, and the whip crack! Of bullets flying file the air as Bastion students began sprinting across the cold dead earth. WHOMP! CRACK! The not so dull crack of partially filled the air as shells detonated in the midst of Bastion lines sending blood and fire everywhere. IT was chaos. Blood flew everywhere as body parts flew through air like pieces of sand as massive plume of fire entered the plains.

Jaune was sure he had gone to hell. Students were screaming and crying as bullets ripped into bodies. Tearing limbs from bodies. Liberating limbs from bodies and snapping heads from necks.

As great plumes of fire filled the line turning whole groups of students into smoldering remains as they were annihilated in an instant. Jaune was panicking as he sprinted through the cold dead earth he _hated_ this. Every step, every stride on the dead ground sent _fresh_ waves of pain throughout his body as the cold earth _refused_ to bend to his feet, as he ran each lungful of air was the equivalent of being stabbed in his chest by along serrated knife as the harsh cold air entered his lungs.

He had _nothing_! He could do _nothing!_ As he sprinted across the cold earth. His lungs burned and screamed in pain as the harsh air entered his lungs as it stabbed harshly into him. As he ran more students fell into bright bloody smears onto the ground. For the first time, Jaune did _not_ feel pity for the initiation students. They had no aura so when their time comes they died _quickly_. Everyone else? Oh, they _suffered_ before their time came.

Some were taken apart in storms of bullets, others disappeared into cloud of black onyx styled shrapnel while tuned them into bloody shreds as their limbs ripped off in a _spectacular_ display of blood and bones, some disappeared into clouds of metal, while others still were yanked back and ripped off their feet as if they were pulled back by an invisible hand as they sprinted.

 _"Keep running!"_ Kage shouted as he appeared at Jaune's side sprinting full force as they neared the white fang trench line. As the ran the harsh whip _crack!_ of bullets and shrapnel filled the air as more students fell to the clouds of shrapnel and gunfire.

Jaune _finally_ got his first good look at the white fang trench line as he's a masked figure manning the machine gun that shot fiery death into the throng of advancing students. As he prints time slowed and dipped to imperceptible levels as he saw bullets flying in slow motion, as his legs pumped through the ear. The first line of students finally hit the trench as Jaune unsheathed his sword and dove straight in.

The first gunner looked to Jaune in what _might_ have been shock as his mask blocked all traces of emotion. Jaune slashed forward at the man aiming his neck. Ok, I just need to knock him-  
FISHT! The man gurgled as Jaune's sword cut deep into his neck severing his jugular as he fell backward.

Vivid crimson blood poured from his throat as he coughed up right scarlet wads of blood. _He had no aura!_ Jaune thought as he saw three more men approach him in masks time slowed, Jaune breathed once taking a deep lungful of cold, harsh air before he sharpens his glare and jumped. He sighed once then he _never hesitated._

Instantly he shield bashed one to his left sending him stumbling backward, turning to the one on his right before slicing him in the leg. His sword cut straight through the limb, cleanly slicing it off from his body as he screamed in pain until Jaune reversed the blade using a _Mika_ inspired arena move in a _brutal_ overarching strike decapitating him in an instant. FSHT! Blood flew freely from his severed head covering Jaune in hot red liquid before Jaune brought his sword into the stomach of another Fang members eviscerating him in moment.

 _FWOOSH!_ The sound of flames enter his hearing as the familiar scent of chemical fire, and the distinct scent of ozone entered his nostrils as he hear the horrible screams of whitefang for the other side of the line. He knew Mika was somewhere over there on the other side of the trench, _hopefully_ with Ruby. They had gotten separated from them as they ran the gauntlet of fire as they hit the trench line. Jaune had no time to moan them as the fight in front of hid demanded his immediate attention.

 _"Behind you!"_ Kage shouted as Jaune ducked instantly as a mass-reactive shell fired nearly deafening him with the retort as a round the size of a softball flew past his head.

Jaune dived forward striking hard against the cold hard walls of the trench, as the sound of shuffling boots filled the air it was a good thing too as his sword pierced the heart of the White Fang member he head shield bashed as he felt the remaining numbers of the students hit the trench as it dissolved into a bloody mess of close quarters fighting, frantic gunfire, screaming shrapnel, whooshing fire, human screams and the distinctive sound of _tearing meat._

* * *

 _"This is hell,"_ Jaune said as he as Kage sprinted quickly along the wooden flooring of the first length of the trench and as they ran for their next objective. _DUN! DUN! DU!_ Their feet made heavy footfalls on the rickety trench boards as they sprinted full force throughout the trench. Luckily they had not run into anymore white fang but as Jaune knew from experience luck _never_ lasted.

 _"First kill?_ You did well." Kage said quietly to his leader and friend as they ran through the trench.  
Jaune was in turmoil complete and utter moral turmoil. He heads _done it_. He heads _finally_ killed a man. He spent over a month in the arena avoiding killing anybody but then it the heat of the moment he just did it.

At first, he wondered if he would go into shock or at the _absolute_ worst become addicted to it like Ruby was. Jaune loved Ruby like a sister but to become like her...to get that shared look of _ecstasy_ whenever he killed a man? That to him was a fate worse than death and he prayed it would never happen to him, and it _didn't.._.

But instead, something much, _much_ worse had happened to the blonde knight. He heads killed three men without thinking, he just cut them down where they stood and then expecting to be filled with _grief, anger_ or to _collapse in a crying heap_ on the cold dead earth, instead of all of those he felt _nothing._ No hatred, no remorse, no sadness, no joy. Killing to Jaune felt like _nothing,_ it was not different than when he was _folding clothes…_

You just _did it._ You didn't like it you didn't dislike it y _ou just did it._ There was no emotion any righteous indignation at the taking of another life. He just slit the man's skin revealing his fleshy parts killing the man in a second follow up strike then repeating the process ever onwards. It was just like folding clothes

As the two teenagers ran they finally made it to the opposite side of the trench as Kage swore loudly.

"We got to go now!" He yelled as a titanic fireball appeared ahead of them nearly deafening them as Jaune swore he he had gone deaf. As the ringing in his ears finally died down Kage was pulling him to the trench line with one hand the other still gripping one of his massive pistols.

"Why Are we advancing alone?!" Jaune shouted as Kage drug hm forward to the mouth of the trench "Because! Did you saw that big explosion? That was the big one! That means our guys are reloading! They won't; provide us with any artillery cover for a while, so we need to go while we still have some timing tactics!" Kage said as Jaune swore loudly as they got to the lip of the trench climbing another set of rickety wooden ladders attached to the cold earth before the hellish sprint began again...

* * *

" _First-year initiation students Bran Olim and loader Brax Compton reporting for duty sirs!_ How can we be of help?" Two bright-faced youths said they jumped into the now shared foxhole of Jaune and Kage. As the two students jumped in the defilade an instantly went to work setting up a machine gun of some type as they pointed it out to he fang trench line.

"Get the stubber on that trench line! Put some fire on it!" Kag yellas the students nodded one and began firing. _THUNK! THUNK THUNK!_ The gun fired again and again as it quickly racked the enemy trench line with fire. Jaune hated to admit it, but Kage was right. If they had not advanced when they did they would have been stuck in the first trench which was now awash with enemy artillery fire.

As the heavy gun fired "Kage we need a plan! I say we- WUMP!  
Jaune's vision was obfuscated with a screeching scream followed by a bright wash of flames as his eardrums nearly burst as he was tossed three feet into the air. WHMAP! Jaune cried aloud as he smacked into the solid ground of the dirt as he looked for his sword as his breath was knocked out of his lungs making him breathe in large mouthfuls of the harsh cold air making him tear up as it cut his lungs.

As he looked at his left tear filling his eyes as he saw the initiation students were dead. A mortar shell had hit their fox hole directly on top of them. As one was cut clear in half, his upper half slumped over the cooling machine gun as his lower half was located some feet behind him. As long ropes of intestines spilled freely on the cold earth, and the other was simply gone.

"Damn it!" Kage yelled as he jumped to gun grabbing it harshly form the still warm hands of the Bastion student as he aimed it to the fang gun line.  
"Jaune! Load the _stubber!"_ Kage shouted as-as he cocked a lever on the gun making a loud metallic Clinking! Sound as he aimed the thing. "The what?"  
"The gun load the damned gun!"

Jaune obliged as he offered the belt of ammunition to Kage as the gun resumed its usual THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! The staccato of unleashing heavy caliber shells onto the enemy lines. This conite for another thirty seconds until another similar explosion like the one that killed the initiation students hit within ten feet of them showering them in dirt and shrapnel

"They have our range! We _can't_ stay here!" Juan yelled as Kage shaped as Kage put the stubber down before pausing once and snapping his fingers together.

"Jaune can you shield stop those bullets?" Kage asked as he ducked another bullet that would have surely stuck his head as Jaune nodded once. "Yes, my shield can stop almost anything why?"  
"Because if so we can mount a charge on them!" Kage said point to the enemy trench. It was only thirty feet away roughly, but it might as well have been three miles.

"Kage my shield can't cover us both! If we run, you won't make it!" Jaune said as Kage's brown eyes paused once scanning their environment before resting on the dead body of the initiation student. Brin? Brax? Jaune head long forgot their names not that he really paid attention as a vicious smile appeared on Kage's face.  
"You let me worry about my shield why don't you?"

* * *

"This is going to get us _both_ killed!" Jaune shouted as they ran out of their foxhole as one. Jaune head his word to his right and shield firmly to his left, as Kag head taken the deceased corpse of the initiation student and was now using it as a makeshift shield as they ran, he held the rubber gun single-handedly to his side as he opened up on the white fang trench reigning fire upon them with large caliber ammunition. THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!.

Masked bodies broke apart in bright explosions of gore as they painted their trench red as the two sprinted towards the trench. _Fitunk! Clang! Bang!_ Bullets ricocheted harmlessly of Jaune's shield as he sprinted forward Jaune winced in pain under the hard impacts of bullets to his shield, as he kept pace with kage. _Sight! Sklurk! Fethom!_ Bullets _sank_ into the macabre piece of armor Kage wielded as he ran bullets finding homes in the corpse or flying harmlessly off of Jaune's Shield until they finally reached the trench line.

 _"GO!"_ Kage yelled as they both split apart into the trench. Jaune instantly stabbed a man through the throat. Ripping out his sword in a shower of blood before seeing a man leaped him from the back top of the trench. Jaune swore loudly as he tucked his legs into a combat role, the man was far too close there was no- _FISSHHH!_ A green bolt impacted him head boring right through his aura as energy shot slammed him into the cold ground.

" _Take that you Oum damned wanker!_ " A familiar voice cried the form of Zach clad in his odd emerald combat gear leaped into the trench twin energy pistols blasting iridescent green bolts into the white fang defenders. His twin pistol sent green fire into the faunus lines. As shot into them. _THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! CLICK!_ Kage ran out of ammunition of his stubber swearing once he tossed it to the ground drawing his pistol as their massive retorts began to fire into the trench line.

" _Sirs!_ What is the plan here!?" A terrified initiation student cried she jumped into the trach. Was he shorter than Juan maybe around Ruby's age? He wore a dull green outfit with a large black backpack with some type of antenna on it.

"We need to move!" kage said as they fought their way to the trench. As the ran forward. "It's just like Vacuo huh Kage? Me you side by side _Judge and hammer_ with _Emerald striker?_ Back to back?" Zach asked as he and Kage took the front their ranged weapon would prove invaluable to the quickly paced trench fighting as Kage nodded in agreement before they charged forward and the real battle began.

* * *

Jaune fought and killed like he was on autopilot. He compartmentalized his feelings of sadness, hatred, injustice at the loss of so much life. He took such useless emotions and stuffed them into a far back corner of his mind for safekeeping as he focuses on the more important parts of life like keeping alive.

As he ducked an overheard sword strike, he stabbed the owner through his fack killing him instantly before parrying another strike. He struck with the need arose and defended when abe. Kage blasted his way through the fight using blunt force and sheer firepower to win the battle. Meanwhile, Zach slipped in and out of combat using his twin guns to pierce heads and stop hearts. As he fried his green energy bolts that seemed to tunnel through your aura like some type of shovel before striking the soft flesh underneath killing their target every time he pulled the trigger. As they fought their way through the trench, even the initiation student contributed to their fight. As he fired an old-fashioned snubby revolver into the fray.

As the two finally fought their way to the end of the trench, the resistance became less and less, as they reached what was to Jaune's relief a large gathering of Bastion student who was apparently being rallied by a strange fourth year.

 _"Are we going to let some long-nosed bastards kill us?! Are we going to let some bastard that isn't even litter boxed trained come and kill us!? The hell we are! We are Baston Death Korps they can't kill us!" He shouted as the initiation student first years all "Come on boys you want to live forever!?"_

He yelled to the student who began to run over the trench line. Mostly first-year initiation student as Jaune was about to take his first step to the trench before Kage tackled him down. _"What are you doing!?"_ Jaune yelled as Kage's large form pinned him to the ground  
 _"Never. Go. First."_ Kage said as he pointed to Zach who had tackled the first year that was traveling with them yelling at him to get this _stupid arse down before he got himself killed,_ as the first year charge began Jaune noticed the fourth year who head rallied them was _not_ leaving the trenches the mass of first years surged forward only to be turned into a thin red paste by enemy fired an a macabre rain fell over Jaune covering him and Kage in red as Kage spoke. "Remember this Jaune. _People, make your sacrifice."_ Kage said as the word went red.

* * *

"Why did he sacrifice them like that?!" Jaune demanded angrily as they ran through the absolute charnel house of the empty ground. The floor which was once a dull life less grey was now smeared with bright red blood bones, limbs and entrails litter the entirety of the ground. As the blood ran into the mud giving it a sickly almost pinkish brown color as their feet made disgusting squelching noise as they ran through the field.

"Because we needed to take the trench and they _are_ running out of ammunition. Terrorist are the _last_ people We expect to use fire discipline, so after they blew all their ammo on the first wave we can just stroll in like _such._ " Kage said as they stormed the third and final trench…

* * *

"Tomorrow is the day," Kage said as he checked his guns. Night had fallen and the remaining allies were huddled around a small fire in the recently captured trench. They headed taken the trenches but lacked the manpower to continue so, for now, the Bastion students were resting in the captured enemy trench lines.

"We have to take a break if we are to find out teammates."

Jaune said as his body finally collapsed as he slumped down by the fire.

"I got command on the vox! They say we attack at dawn!" The initiation student who Zach had _forbidden_ to speak his name said as he turned the radio or Vox as they called it on hid back. Apparently, it was a tradition that initiation students do not tell you their names on missions like this so when they inevitably died the blow was lessened.  
 _"So be it._ " Kage said as he rolled onto his back as the crackling fire illuminated his bright red armor as he closed his eyes and went to sleep in the entry trench."  
" _Let's get some sleep_ ," Jaune said as he felt his body collapse. "Tomorrow we fight."  
" _Let's bugger them good!"_ Zach said as the four boys sat by the crackling fire in the dirt grey trench supported by the cold dead earth as each one waited for the morning...

* * *

 **AN: There we go! The boys are all by their lonesome let's see what they get up to nest huh? And maybe the girls will all be alive too? Maybe...**


	12. Pillar one Fortunate sun

**: Ok, here we go! More Bastion more action! Here we have some interactions with some OC so here we go! Also experimenting with an OC here do feedback is appreciated! Until then this is the second to last arc of the boy's story so enjoy!**

* * *

Silence, it was still as _death_ as Jaune laid in the dank trench. Night head has fallen over the badlands giving the usually dark grey environment and deathly quiet blanket. As the four students sat around the crackling fire Jaune paused as he realigned himself against the back wall, grimacing as his hands brushed against the _cold dead earth_ that the badlands seemed to breed.

Jaune fought back the urge to shout as he could swear the earth was trying to infect him It felt dirty and damp as he shot his hand away from the earth, it was as if the _dead_ ground was trying to corrupt him, to get under his skin and into his veins as it tried to make him like itself. Jaune shuddered as thought of him with bleeding black dust coming from his mouth as his veins grew to a rooted black color that sprouted corrupted viscera while-

 _"Can't sleep?"_ Kage asked as he looked up from his patch of the trench. He lifted his head as the fire illuminated his bronze colored skin as he coked an eye to Jaune. "Sorry Kage, I'm just having trouble falling asleep. I'll try to do better."

Jaune admitted sheepishly as Kage sighed once before righting himself into the trench as unusually large log snapped in the fire making a sharp but dull _crackling_ sound as he shifted up. Kage's blood red armor glistened in the firelight giving the youth and demonic appearance that was entirely at odds with his emotionless face and monotone sounding voice.

"Was that your first?" Kage asked as he finally sat up yawning loudly but not moving an extra inch as his brown eyes locked onto Jaune's blue ones.

"First what?" Jaune asked as he shifted himself against the wall of the trench grimacing as he shuffled the _dead_ ground shift and crumble against his back. "Kill, was it your first kill? Back there in the trenches?" Kage said again as he took out one of his massive pistols and polished it absentmindedly.

"Yes. It was me… first time killing." Jaune answered as Kage nodded once as he cleaned his guns. "How was it? Taking a life I mean, most people _don't_ take to kindly to it their first time, though there are some exceptions. _Especially_ on our team." Kage announces as Jaune gritted his teeth as he thought of Ruby, and the turn of events that turned a _sweet innocen_ t girl turned into a _literal_ grim reaper.

As the thoughts entered his head Jauen hated himself, he hated that his lack of attention lack of action had lead ruby down this path. He wanted to yell to shout at criticizing himself as if it was all his own fault. But another deep _darker_ voice in his mind cast those actions to the side. It spoke to him in _sultry sickening voices_ as it entered his thoughts.

" _You blame yourself for her? But why? Surely **you** had no responsibility in her... **Transformation** if you will. You didn't **make** her kill those men or woman and you **certainly** didn't make her **enjoy** the killings. Why if anything it was **nobody's** fault! Ruby would have always been like this and all that was needed to expose her to her **vicious blood thirsting** self-was the right opportunity..._

"It was… I don't know how to describe it, Kage." Jaune said as he _forced_ the treacherous voice out of his head as the fire crackled and popped as Kage fixed his hard brown eyes to them.

"Try," Kage said in a tone that brokered no argument, and Jaune knew his friend wasn't asking. "It was… It felt like nothing. I got nothing for killing another human. I thought I would panic that I would start to throw up or convulse, or at worst. I would end up like… _Ruby_ but instead... Kage Killing was _easy._ It didn't make me feel _good_ ; it didn't make me feel _bad_ either, it was just like I was folding clothes." Jaune admitted as kage eyed him calmy.

"So you're not upset at killing you are angry at you lack of response to said killing?"

"It's not just that Kage, It's just, I expected more! I Wanted to throw up to spill my stomach onto the ground to yell into the night to do something! Literally, anything would be better than just acting. Doing the motions like an, they were the most mundane thing ever. I wanted to breathe to panic hell even if I did become an addict it would still be better than this! I mean I didn't feel anything when killing I mean what kind of person does that make me?"

"It makes you-

" _An Oum damned sociopath!_ Welcome to the _bloody_ club!" A harsh irritated shout said to form their left as the previously sleeping form of Zach stirred under the fire. As the boy got up, he leveled a piercing glare at Jaune as his black eyes eye the youth warily as he gleaned the pair of dual green pistols under his hands.

" Oum Dammit! You're _bloody lucky_ is what you are! You know how many people would _literally_ kill to do what you did and fell nothing? No emotions, no fear, no anger? _Sweet Oum kid!_ Don't look a bloody gift horse in the mouth! We already have one moody bastard in the group we do _not_ need two of them." Zach said eyeing Kage harshly who returned the glare with his usual callous unflinching stare, while his brown eyes locked onto his black ones.

"Yeah, I'm talking to _you!_ You _moody bastard_ you! Don't think you're strong, imposing silence trick works on me ya hear?! I know your number! I haven't been your _best friend_ for your entire _miserable_ life for nothing you know?!" Zach shouted at Kage who merely stared at him locking his brown eyes on his dark black ones before shrugging and looking to his guns.

 _"So you say,"_ Kage said not once breaking the glare as he continued to polish his pistols under the crackling firelight.

"Oh _see!_ There he goes again! Acting like he's so dead to the world! Like he's _above_ petty human concerns like emotion! Look at this guy!" Zach said point an accusing finger at Kage as the fourthmemberr started to stir.

"What's going on here guys?" The dreary voice of the initiation student said as he finally got up. His brown hair reflected vividly in the crackling firelight as he rubbed his green eyes.

"Nothing kid! Go back to sleep!" Zach said as he checked his guns iron sights. "But I heard shouting and I-

" _Did you hear me!?_ I said _sleep!"_ Zach shouted at him as he nodded once and went back to bed. As he rolled over Zach gave a grunt of approval as his pale pearl-like skin was illuminated light.

 _"He's a good kid,_ a little green but he'll grow when we get out of the hell hole you know?" Zach said as he eyed the youth with a look that almost looked like pride.

"You mean _If_ he survives right? Last I checked his kind don't really have much in the way of life prospects _you know?_ " Kage asked as he put both of his hands behind his neck as he stared into the dull black sky.

"There we go again! Always with the moody business! Would it kill you not to have depression and act normal for once in your godforsaken life?!"

"Excuse me for having a mental illness," Kage said in the single driest tone humanly possible as Zach snorted loudly to him.

"Oh, here we go! It's always like this with you! It's always I'm a tough loner who also has a soft side underneath the hard cold exterior! Or the I have no emotions and you cannot comprehend me! _Enough!_ Just because you got a mental illness doesn't mean shit! We're _all_ fucked in the head, but you don't see any of us complaining about it, do you!? So how about you take your borderline, depressed ass and have a some damn fun for once if your godforsaken life?!"

"Zach, why are you _even here?_ I thought you didn't want to join the Death Korps." kage asked as he polished his guns if Zach's tirade had any affect on him he did not let it show as he continued to polish his gargantuan pistols.

" You are damn right I didn't want to join! But after seeing you _miserable fucks_ eating like kings?! I wouldn't let that opportunity just slip by you know? So Hino and I signed up first thing before this hell hole. Just our luck our first day in the Death Korps and we might die! We haven't even gotten any of the food yet!"

"Hino is here?" Kage asked with what was for him a _startling_ display of emotions as his brown eyes widened in what looked like surprise and concern before going back to their default neutral, emotionless stare.

"Yeah, she's _somewhere_ in this hell hole, last time I saw her she was running to the trenches. Dumb bimbo was running east though, so she's probably up shit creek at the moment. _Damned broad can't even read directions right!"_ Zach said as he spat dismissively into the fire pit. "Woman I tell you, Kage! _They think their people!"_ He said as Jaune snapped.

Jaune did _not_ like Zach, he was rude rough and seemed to insult everybody he talked to. As he watched Kage's face soften into concern, Jaune felt some leaderly responsibility seep out of him as he spoke up.

"Don't worry Kage I'm sure she's fine," Jaune said as he tried to calm down whatever fears his friend might have to his friends saftey.  
"You're damn _right_ she's all right! She isn't dying till she gets some dick from this _moody fuck_ over here!" Zach said as Jaune flinched in anger.

"Why do you keep talking about her like that?" Jaune seethed as he balled his fist against his pant legs as Kage raised a lone eyebrow at his anger.

"Like what?"  
"Like she's an _object or stupid?"_ Jaune practically _seethed_ at Zach said as Kage put a hand on his forehead.

"Jaune don't-  
"Hold up a minute Arc. I don't think I like what you're saying. Are you defending Her?"

"Yes I am, she seems to be a good person and she is your partner! Why aren't you defending her?!"

" _Because she's a woman. Duh._ " Zach said in a lackadaisical way that made Jaune's blood boil.

Having seven protective elder sisters installed a healthy respect for woman in the young man as he stared at Zach menacingly. "What do you mean by she's a woman?" Jaune asked as Kage rubbed a hand over his face.

"Oh god." Kage sighed as he put another hand on his face as the two glared at each other, one in boiling anger the other in- _plane confusion._

"I just said it. Because She is a woman. What's so hard to understand about that?"  
"What does she being a woman have to do with anything?" Jaune seethed as Kage grumbled

"Here we go…"

"Jaune… Are… you defending her?"  
"Yes."  
"Like.. she's an actual person? And not just a woman?"

Jaune snapped. "What does that mean!? Zach are you saying that women are not people!?"

"Uh duh, they're not people Jaune _their woman_ for Oum's sake gets you head on _straight!"_ Zach said as he tapped a pistol to his head and Jaune lost his cool.

His partner was a woman his best friend was a woman, most of his friends were girls, and he would be damned before he let anybody bad mouth them.

"First of Woman are people-  
"No, they are not. They are a woman. I you and Kage are _people,_ we are not _good_ people but we _are_ people. I mean hell even the _kid_ is a person. _More or less that is._ We are all men, so we are all people! Don't tell me you _seriousl_ y buy into this woman are pole nonsense do you?"

" _What. If. I. Do?_ " Jaune could barely contain his anger at the boy as Kage made a sighing motion and attempted to go back to his _bed._

Zach's confused frown turned into a broad smile as he reached behind him into his resting pad.  
"Here we go," Kage said as he put a gun to his chin and gripped the trigger.

"Jaune let me ask you this! Do you believe _fully and completely_ that woman is not only a human being but is _absolutely and irrevocably_ one hundred percent people?"

"Yes." Jaune replied as he glared at Zach as blue met black as Zach's' eyes took a menacing look as he reached behind him and brought out a large white piece of paper.

"And you are absolutely one hundred percent sure that nothing and I mean nothing I say can change your mind on that issue?"

"Absolutely. There's nothing you can do or say to me that will shake my belief that women are people and one hundred percent equal to men."

Zach grinned as he finally pulled out a large white piece of paper on some kind of black stand as he wrapped his pistols bayonets against it.

"Then let me show you my powerpoint presentation!" Zach said as he brought out a large piece of paper, "You actually brought a power point presentation on the mission?" Jaune asked dumbstruck by the pristine piece of white paper and black stands on the dirty trench wall. and started to talk.

"But of course!" Zach said as he pointed to the paper and started to talk...

* * *

"Ok, I am only going to say this once. I am still firmly and irrevocably convinced with an _eighty percent_ certainty that woman is in fact, people." Jaune said as Zach finished his half-hour presentation. The boy smiled a manic grin as hit te pare again.

 _"Eighty percent you say!?_ Weren't you one hundred percent convinced earlier? Didn't you say and I Quote! _There is nothing you can do or say to me that will convince me in any way that women are not equal to men and are in fact one hundred percent equal?"_ Zach asked Jaune practically swung his sword at the boy as he gave him a shit-eating grin.

"That was…" Jaune grimaced as the tall boy smiled beautifully at him. As Much as Jaune hated to admit it, the bout made some rather compelling points. He was still sure women were, in fact, human being sort of the exact same rights and treatment as men. But now…. He had other thoughts in his brain.

"That was _interesting_." the initiate student said as he eyed the board making Zach nod his head in tune.

"Did you pay attention, kid? If you did, you wouldn't let any of these damned whroes take your ass for a ride! Now Arc! I know you have some doubts in your head about my work! And you should! Now as glad as I am to see your slow but constant change of heart towards the truth you still need some work! So how about we take a minute and we go over my main points again, and I can fully convince you that woman are in fact not people!"

"We do not have time for this." Kage sighed as he rubbed his temple with a pistol barrel. Ever since Zach started presenting he had been rubbing his guns to his head as he sighed in irritation.

"Look Zach I know you don't like them but they are people. I think, I really could care less whether they are or are not people is irrelevant to me. All that matters is that they bleed when I shoot them and I can kill them. I could argue the rest, but we need some damned rest so enough presenting for tonight all right? You can convince them that women are not people tomorrow after we take the refinery ok?" Kage was as Zach sighed once and folded up his presentation.

"Whatever you say you moody shit. Just be glad I like you all right?" Zack asked as he folded up his stand put his pare carefully into the metallic stand and put it in his pack.

"Do you just carry that power point with you? Like all the time?" Jaune asked the boy as he smiles broadly at him showing him two rows of perfect white teeth. "Sure do! In case I ever need to enlighten somebody with incorrect opinions! Like you! Can you imagine if I just let you go around thinking woman were people? You might actually treat them with respect! Can't; have that can we?" Zach said as he turned over in his bed completely ignoring the icy glare Jaune gave him as he tucked over in his pile of dead earth. "No we can't have that can we?" Jaune thought as he closed his eyes and went to bed…

* * *

"Ok boys let's have at it!" Zach said as the assorted group of Bastion students moved through the damp, frigid trenches. As the teens shuffled along dawn had broken. Or at least it wasn't attempted to, as the sky was no longer pitch; black night hanging over their head like the inside of some type of dome. Now it was the same blank grey sky that covered the Badlands as the four boys sprinted along the trench lines.

"Attention! Attention! All Bastion students on this channel, please heed this call! We are marshaling for an offensive against the white fang refinery at the furthest third trench line. Report them as soon as possible for the attack. All found in violation of this order will be shot. Vox operators, please respond to show you have received this message!" The large black grey box on six's back shouted as he made to grab the walkie-talkie.  
"Command! This is Bastion improvised squad code name 38789! We have her-

"Command! Command! Come in command! We have NOT heard your orders! Please repeat!" Zach yelled as he suddenly grabbed the receiver from the kid as he shouted into the Vox.  
"Repeat improvised squad 38789! You are to report with the main Bastion student to attack the white fang, please respond to confirm you have heard this reply."

"Command! You are breaking up! We are encountering severe Vox interference! Please advise!"

"Squad you are to attack the -

"Sir orders received! We will attack the white fang at our own discretion! Squad 38789 out!"

"Negative squad 38789! Do not attack on your own! Meet up with the main assault force to charge the enemy choke point!"

"Charge enemy! Orders received!"  
"Squad-

"Keep that damned thing on! Kid, I want us on their channels but tune us out! We need to hear them, but they can't hear us!" Zach ordered the initiate student as he complied instantly.

"What are you doing?" Jaune asked the student as he spat on the ground. "Savin all of our sorry arse's that's what I'm doing! I'm not just going to die charging another gun line!"  
"He has a point, we can achieve our mission much better if we sneak in," Kage added as Jaune finally saw their points.

"A full-on assault would be decisive, but it would also likely lead us to our deaths. Good call." Jaune admitted as the four ran through the trenches.

After some _creative_ interpretation of their orders thanks to the initiation student who was now dubbed as _six_ or the kid due to his young age and the fact that he seemed to have an absurd amount of sizes in the Bastion student id. Something Jaune didn't even know they had student numbers!

As they ran the order came in through the Vox as it was called here. Which basically meant the radio that all surviving Bastion students where to muster at the middle ground for an all-out attack on the refinery front. Seein this as In Jaune's point unlikely to succeed, or Kage's plane but simple suicidal to Zach's Batshit insane The team had decided to interpret the orders as to attack the refinery as quickly and effectively as possible without charging to their deaths in the process.

As the harsh unreasonably chilled air entered his lungs Jaune grimaced as it stabbed and sliced open his lungs. He hated the badlands with a passion. As the dull doomed trench floors thudded under their footsteps, they had elected to attack the refinery form the side right when the main force was engaging the white fang from the front.

That way they had the best chance of not only surviving but actually succeeding in their objectives A harsh retort of static filled their ears as the Vox set came alive.

 _"All remaining Death Korps personal ready they attack charge in t-minus ten seconds!"_ The order to attack came as they ran the first CRACK! Of artillery fire filled the air followed the prattle of machine guns as the Bastion students initiated their attack.

 _"There they go._ " The first year said as kage eyed them.

"Our time is _now_ , we have a rapidly closing window of opportunity if the attack _fails_ we have to be deep inside the facility ready to detonate it. If the attack _succeeds,_ and we are anywhere _but_ the facility we will be executed." Kage said as they sprinted towards the building.

It was a tall cylindrical pearl colored building with dozens of pipes and intake valves running along its sides with many rapidly blinking lights flashing all about it. Their plan was simple. Using the other Bastion student's as a distraction their team would infiltrate the facility from behind if the attack failed it was a refinery of some type so detonating it or causing some other critical malfunctions shouldn't be that hard. Or if the attack succeeds they will be seen as having taken advantage of the enemy's confusion and successfully infiltrated their command center. Either way, time was of the essence.

"Down you bloody bastards!" Zach yelled as the team instantly hit the ground. As the fell flat on the cold dead earth a beam of red passed over their head as it slowly reached over the trench. "Infrared sensors! They can pick up our heat and raise the alarm so stay down and stay low!" Zach's said as the team crawled out of the trench belly first and onto the plains.

Plain was _not_ an accurate term as Jaune grimaced once again as he was forced to crawl on the cold dead earth of the badlands. As the team crawled on the dead ground it took them an agonizing five minutes to get out of the beams sensor locater and to the refinery proper. There was a tall chain link fence that Zach's bayonets made quick work cutting thou like it was butter and they a hot knife as the ran into the facility.

* * *

" _Arc on me!"_ Zach hissed as he and Jaune crept up behind two white fang guards. The two faunus stood still as a statue as they acted. At once Zach slit the throat ear to ear on one as Jaune drove his sword through the back of one man's neck. He gasped in pain as he severed his spine at his neck. The man gurgled pitifully as the man's knees collapsed in on himself and toppled down like some kind of a macabre origami sculpture.

 _"Just like folding clothes."_ Jaune mutter as Zach gave the all clear and Kage and Six ran inside. The facility was relatively unguarded most of the attention at the front of the base. As they ran into it the hallways where slick tiled things that made loud squeaking sounds when their dirty mud filled boots left clear footprints all over them. As they worked through the hallways Zach was _constantly_ on his scroll mapping out corridors as he hacked into their secutity system.

As much as Jaune was loathed to admit Zach was proving a useful asset in their mission. His innate knwoledg of enemy secutiy systems and how to best counteract them was proving to be _essential_ as the former thief guided them thorougt the facility.

"We have to be _fast._ If we can find the main control valve maybe we can cause a critical failure to overload the place." Kage said as they turned a corner killing two more guards with brutal close quarters fighting. The men paused dumbstruck as the two groups nearly collided. Both forz eins hcok befre the students acted first.

Zach was going down as in one smooth motion he sliced one's leg off at the heel resulting in a disturbing spray of blood, before driving a bayonet into his throat crushing his windpipe as Jaune slit a throat with his sword as they ran.

"Worry not for I have a map! I swiped it from the dead guards as the main shut off valve is here!" Zach said as the teens arrived at a blank silver door.

 _"Open says me,"_ Kage said he kicked down the door ignoring all traces of tact as they ran into the room.

* * *

 _"Well, you're an ugly bastard you know that?"_ Zach Asked the easily eight foot faunus with the massive chainsaw. The man was a monster. Over eight feet tall and cover in the slab after slab of muscle. It was ridiculous it was like somebody had decided to add chunk after chunk of flesh onto him and forget when to say when. As he eyed them balefully.

"We have a breach." He said to no one, in particular, he stood alone in the room.

Instantly red warning klaxons filled the room as red light blared throughout the facility.

"We got incoming!" Zach said as he looked at his scroll

"Fifty contacts closing in from the west hallway!" Zach yelled as he eyed his scroll worriedly.  
"Crap we need to think!" Jaune said as Kage put a hand on his shoulder.  
"I'll deal with the men. You kill him." Kage said quietly as he calmly stepped out of the room and into the hallway.

"But Kage!-  
"Leave him! Kage is a moody shit, but he's damn good in a fight! Especially in close quarters like this one! He'll be picking his teeth with the furry bastard by the time he's through! In the meantime, we got bigger fish to fry. Or dogs to beat." He said as he aimed his green pistols at the massively oversized faunus. "Your hubris will be your downfall human."  
"Ah shut it you overpriced furry!"  
"How rude." the man said as he took a step forward and charged.

* * *

"Let's see, it's me my two guns with eight extra mags plus the rounds in them," Kage said aloud as he calmly walked down the bland corridors of the white fang refinery he sighed internally as he counted his ods. It was him, Venke Kage, "alone versus fifty white fang members all properly trained all armed to the teeth." Kage said as the first faun tune the hallway. 'Get him!" One actually shouted as Kage sighed. Amateur hour, he thought as he checked his twin bolt pistols. Let's see fifty plus opponents, tight quarters, and around eighteen shots per mag ten mags total? They should have brought more men. Kage thought as he took one tired foot forward and the fang charged.

* * *

 **Well there's the ending! If you like it let me know! this is me trying to experiment so everything is brand new!**


	13. Pillar one Time in a bottle

**: It's that time boys. Bastion update! This is the las of the guys Arc! Let's see how many of them end up with all their body parts in the same place why don't we?**

* * *

"I don't suppose you two would _surrender?_ Despite how I appear I do _not_ like killing unnecessarily so I would _much_ prefer it if you did surrender." The white fang leader said as he lifted his massive chainsaw in the air as Jaune and Zach aimed their weapons at him.

"Not a chance _Mittens!_ You're going down then this whole damned base is going down with you!" Zach shouted as the faunus sighed as he revved up his gargantuan chain sword.

" _Mittens?_ Is that because I am a cat?"

" _Ding! Ding! Ding!_ Looks like he's smarter than your average cat! What do you think about that Jaune? Is this animal smarter than the rest?"

"I don't think you should be insulting the man with a giant chainsaw!"

"Thank you, Jaune was it? I am not an unreasonable man although I do not like to be insulted. If you could convince your rather rude friend to surrender that would be much appreciated."

The faunus said as he took a step forward. His massive black combat boot struck the metal floor with a minor thunderclaps, as his impossibly muscled thighs clenched with movement. The man shifted his weight as Jaune and Zach instinctively split to surround him, the other member of their party Six was away in the base monitoring the channels to see if Bastion Death Korps was breaking through. He had orders to bring help if their guy got in and they were still fighting. Kage was holding off a mass of fang members alone and Jaune and Zach had the leader to kill.

As the mass man if that word applied stepped forward to them chainsaw in hand. Jaune gulped as he took in the sheer weight of the man in front of him. He initially but the man around eight feet tall, but every step he took he seemed to grow and grow until he was now easily above nine feet and gaining length with each movement.

As he walked his massive muscles pulse and tensed as his meaty arms swung the chainsaw upward. Seriously! It looked someone had just decided that you know what this massive monster of a man needs? More muscles! And had then proceeded to add slab after slab of musculature and forgot to say when.

As his tanned skin pulsed and stretched, his death mask gave no hint of what face he had and only a mass of straight black hair was an indicator of what he looked like underneath his mask. The only other indication the man gave them of a personality was the oddly calm and strangely polite tone he used to speak, he sounded like a calm reasonable man who just happened to be working with a terrorist organization based on genocide and racism. And not just another deluded fanatic.

As the man walked Jaune regretted the two on one fight, wishing with all his heart that he had made Kage stay as his massive pistol would easily be a huge asset in this literal David vs. Goliath moment. As the man stepped forward.

"Yeah, Yeah! You're a polite bastard, but that's not enough to keep you breathing you dig?" Zack Asked as he flexed his pistol swinging them in his hands like a knife wielder would show off a blade, using their bayonets as fulcrums to swing the sparkling green sidearms.

"Are you _always_ this rude? Or is this because I am a member of the white fang?"

"Eh? Don't know don't care _now die!_ " Zach shouted as he and Jaune both finally got into circling positions and attacked the man.

Jaune instantly sprung forwards _Crocea Mors_ raised high as he was instantly struck at by the mas chainsaw. The monster of a weapon easily half the height of the man himself barely grazed his shield as the sounds of gnashing metal teeth filled his dears. It was like somebody as tearing air, with the loudest industrial saw even in existence as a weapon that was fit to be on a logger machine ripped through the air.

 _FIT! FIT! FIT!_

The sound of gunfire filled the air as Jaune felt something hot and wet hit his back as he slid underneath the man's' legs take his sword and striking the man's shins getting a decent strike but one that was protected by his aura nonetheless as he got out of his side he saw the fang member blocking green bolts with his chainsaw as Zach forced him backward.

The man grunted in pain as bolt after bolt cracked into his chainsaw as Zach altered his fire. Green energy shot and ripped into the metal object giving a loud _BRAN_! Sound as another bolt hit and ate into his flesh. Completely bypassing his aura as the man grunted in pain.

"Aura piercing rounds? Those _are_ illegal you know?" The man and said as Zach forced him back under a wave of wave of green energy. As he was forced back Jaune finally felt the wet liquid on his back as he reached a hand over to see what it was. Blood, blood covered his back and hands making his gloves and silver armor. It must be from him, Jaune thought as the man was forced back before sighed once and smashed a hand on a terminal.

Instantly there was a sound of charging energy before a wave blue of energy smashed into the room stopping the guns fire as Jaune braced himself for the pain. It never came. The magnetic field passed right through him as the sound of gunfire stopped and Zach swore.

 _"Hey, hey, hey!_ What's the big idea!? Do you have _any_ idea how much these guns cost? I made them myself, and now some overgrown fur enthusiast just fries their circuits? Not cool man! Not cool!"

Zach said as the white fang member came out of his guard and sighed deeply.  
"For one, you _do_ realize that your choice of a weapon violated several laws and the Vacuo convention right? And two you were trying to kill me. Why does it matter that I defended myself?" The man asked as he began to jog forward to them, the bright red holes in his flesh slowly healing as boss spilled on the cold grey metal of the ground.

"I guess it doesn't matter in the end. Jaune you ready? Because it looks like we do this the old-fashioned way." Zach said as he flipped his gun over in a surprising display of dexterity as he pointe the sharp sickly green bayonets at the man.

 _"I guess we stab him to death?_ " Jaune said as Zac finally laughed at him.

 _"There we go!_ There's the killings spirit I'm talking about! I know the call you the White Knight, but I got your number! You're killed just like me, just like Kage! _Not_ like Ruby or Mika, those psychos actually _like_ what they do. Well _less_ Ruby more Mika, but you get my point." Zach said as the man stepped forward chainsaw raised and charged them.

The next few minutes of Jaune's life flashed by in a blur of weapon flashes, flying sparks and tearing metal, it was almost as if he was in some kind of a trance as he sprinted forward ducking a massive weapon that could quickly kill him in one strike aura or not. He saw the gigantic grinding teeth of the weapon each one the size of a baseball, and each one gnashing and rain as he slid under the blade as it stuck a computer terminal. Sparks flashed out as the sound of metal on metal filled the air, and the man in a display of dexterity that should be impossible with conventional physics merely riposted his weapon swing it back effortlessly nearly bisecting Jaune in the process.

Zach for his part was no slouch, he might be a _bigoted, angry, asshole_ but the boy could fight. He ducked and dived under the man's massive overhead arcs in a way that would have mad _Ren_ green with envy, as he parried the massive weapon. The fact that he could even deflect the massive weapon with little more than his bayonets was a testament to his skill with the weapon as the man grunted in frustration as the bayonets showed their _true_ potential.

AHH! The man cried as Zach stabbed both of his bayonets into the man's kneecap, the green blades piercing his aura as the dug into the soft flesh than the bone of the man's knee. The man screamed in pain and tried to deliver a punishing backhand, which Zach expertly dodged before slashing up and stabbing the man in his passing arm. The man cried out again as the green bayonet dug into his skin splitting it apart into thick veiny pieces as he ripped open the man's arm.

The floor was covered in bright blood as Zach rolled out of a powerful curbstomp that sent shock waves through the room as the man gripped his bleed arm as his aura started to repair the damage that had been done. '

"Is there any part of your armaments that do _not_ break some law, or violate an _international treaty?"_ The man asked as he flexed his massive muscled arm, wincing in pain as his flesh was restitched by his aura as long streams of blood painted the grounds.

'Who cares? You're going to be pushing up daisies in a minute so what's the point? Although I _doubt_ you will be pushing up anything. Once we're done with we'll probably torch your corps, two this moody place has no life! Nothing lives here, and I doubt we are dragging your ass back to Bastion to act as fertilizer."

"As you say, I was trying to make this a peaceful arrangement, but you leave me no choice." The man said as he bent his knees breathing in one and jumped at the teens.

* * *

The following moments were the most frantic of Jaune' Arc life. As the man literally leaped at them showing amounts of agility and dexterity completely at odds with his muscled framework as he lept into them and proceeded to strike with the speed of a sugar-crazed Ruby or syrup rushed Nora.

The man's weapon roared time and time again as it flashed out forcing both boys t the defensive as they were forced to break their attack and go on the back foot. Dodging, ducking parrying and even rolling out of the way of that massive weapon. Jaune knew from experience that blocking such a weapon would be a pointless endeavor, sparing against Nora and Yang had given him _quite_ the fortitude for taking punches but this form sheer blunt damage and this weapon was not that type of enemy.

As he dove out of the way of the massive silver weapon, the thing ripped a terminal in two in a shower of sparks as he struck to the side trying to make Jaune block his attack. Jaune was too smart to fall for it as instead of bracing himself and readying his shield he hit the deck and rolled underneath the thing roaring teeth as he stopped, dropped and rolled out of the attack coming up underneath the man's guard and getting a solid hit to his knee before ducking away as the man swore in pain, as his trap field to ensnare the young human as his aura took the hit.

The problem with fighting chainsaws or other ripping weapons as his colonel in the Death Korps had once expertly demonstrated was that unlike a mere blunt weapon a _ripping_ weapon does not merely strike your body or armor and dent it. It strikes your armor or flesh and starts to _eat._

What that basically boiled down to was that even if Jaune could block the weapon the things teeth would begin to _work_ on the surface of his shield, as each tooth tore and grasped. Each one is trying desperately to find something for it to _eat_ into as the weapon tried to rip his flesh from his bones. Even if his shield was strong enough to withstand the weapon if the teeth found any other purchase the man might be able to rip his arm off in a shower of blood and bone and the fight would end there. As the man cursed, Jaune was reminded of the similar chain weapon the Death Korps colonel used in the training demonstration on ripping weapons.

The weapon was a similar type of the chainsaw, but it was more like a chainsword than anything else. As the man went on to explain that unlike a normal sword or blunt weapon when a ripping weapon hits something it bites into it. Its teeth will try to tear and leave the armor of flesh of a target as each tooth attempt to chip away the armor, as the teeth grind down the protection of a target like water to a stone.

Although the chain weapon was terrifying, it did have weaknesses. If the teeth stuck an object, they should not break they might chip and break. Rendering the weapon dull, or the weapon might get stuck in something soft, or that does not give. This weapon was meant to strike hard surfaces and gouge them apart if the surfaces with too much give to hit something that could wrap around their blades their motors could clog rendering them nearly useless except as blunt instruments.

As Jaune dodged the horribly complex back strike of the man, as he literally stabbed his chainsaw behind him in a perfect backward and nearly flipping himself over in the process as Jaune dove around him.

Zach took the initiative and stabbed into the man's sides terin into the flesh before diving out a reverse swipe that nearly took his legs off at the heels. As they fought back and forth, the man became increasingly, _distressed._ Jaune couldn't place his finger on it but the man was becoming _off_. His strikes got slower, he moved sluggishly and he looked like he was going to collapse! As the man stopped fighting as he rested against a terminal breathing heavily.

"I sent for men some time ago. I wonder where they are?" He asked as he shot a hand forward in an attempt to catch one of them and drag them in close for his chainsaw to work, and nearly succeed. As Jaune was pushed back out the way by Zacha s the boy pair and tore out the man's wrist tendon making him howl as the man right wrist hung limply useless as he shifted his chainsaw to a one-handed carry.

"That would be because of our boy Kage, he's a moody son of a bitch, but he knows how to fight," Zach said as he wiped the blood from the man's wrist onto his light green armor as the man cursed.

"I need more men." He said as he spoke to a voice in his ear and took a guarded positions.

"I have forty men coming from the other side of the base. They will be here momentarily I suggest you surrender. Is so I will make sure you endure no undue suffering at your executions."

"Hah, you say you have _forty_ men? You'll need more than that buddy cause _we got you surrounded!"_ Zachs said as he took his bayonets, and _put them down._ Taking his weapon for an putting them at his side as he started to make _intricate_ symbols with his fingers as he stared at the man.

"Zach what _the hell_ are you doing!?" Jaune hissed at him as the boy continued to talk.

"You say _forty?_ You're going to need over _double_ that estimate _buddy_ if you want to deal with the _forty hunters we have in this room!"_ Zach said as Jaune nearly dropped his sword. His ally of convenience, as that was what he was _not_ a real friend, not even a _Kage_ level friend said as he apparently lost his mind and began to speak to the man.

"Yeah, _we got you surrounded big guy._ There are over _forty armed hunters in this room with us,_ and you're going down!" Zach said as Jaune knew he was going to die. He had lost his mind; there was only them in this room an-

 _"Where did you all come from!?_ Guards! We have a _major_ breach in the base! Call back the men from the front line to contain this! Yes, I Know your fight the frontal assault, but we need back up dammit!" He swore as he pointed his chainsaw to the room, holding it one-handed as he aimed it all around.

 _"Stay back!_ I know there are more of you them before, but I can still kill half of you!" He shouted as Jaune knew he had lost it. He looked all around him, to see _nothing_. He looked to his left; he looked to his right. There was only the dull silver floor, the mass of computer terminals and the large overarching control panel behind the man. There was no one else in the room beside them as the man panicked.

"Yeah man, there are over _forty armed and ready hunters_ in this room all ready to take you down. All we need to do is say when!" Zach said as he kept eye contact with the man as he started to panic.

"They are going to attack you _any second now,_ just you see."  
"Stay back! All of you! I'm warning you! I'll kill all of you!" The man yelled before he began to swing the chainsaw blindly into thin air, not once hitting something but making large Whooshing sounds as swung his weapon clumsily with one hand.

 _"Whoops! Almost_ had one there! Too bad they are all over you. It looks like you're being _swamped!"_

"I'll kill all of you!" The man shouted to literally nobody as he swung his blade blindly.

 _Where did they all come from?!_ The white fang lieutenant shouted internally as the mob of hunters suddenly swarmed the room. At first there was just the two students, not even full hunters but for soldiers of a corrupt and insane industry that treated children like cattle. Then the hunters came.

They came from _literally_ nowhere, one second it was just the three of them then they were everywhere! Men, women all armed to the teeth and all combat ready stormed into the room before encircling him. The man panicked as he saved them off. The line of men and women all dressed in a variety of bright colors and wielding all manners of ranged and melee weapon's who hesitated once then swarmed him.

"I'll kill you all!" He shouted as he swung his chainsaw clumsily, cursing the loss of his wrist to the illegal weapons of the youth. As he swung his weapon, the man and woman easily dodge out of his way as he fended them off.

"Too bad you _can't hit anything._ It looks the end for you."

The voice of the black haired youth said as his chainsaw missed _again and again._ As the men and women began to strike him.

"Looks like they are finally _hurting you!_ " The youth said as the man _saw_ his flesh rip apart.

He screamed in agony as bright red gouges were torn from his flesh. As _blades, cudgels, maces, and bullets_ ripped into his flesh. _Where is my aura?!_ He thought as he can in pain as he felt a strike _take off his legs._

 _"There go your legs!_ It looks like you _won't_ be walking anymore." The youth said as a scythe took his leg off at the knees.

He screamed in sheer agony as lighting flashed trough is vein as his right leg was cut in two as his left was blown apart at the knee. As the man fell to the ground, he knew the end was near and decided to not die in agony.

"Kill me! Please! _Don't let me bleed like a pig._ " The man said as he fell to the ground collapsing into gagged breaths as he felt a shadow come to him.

"If you say so." The youth said as he put his bayonet on the throat and slit it ear to ear.

Jaune. Was. Stunned. One second he had been fighting for his life against a superior opponent the next moment said superior opponent was gone. Talking to himself sworn that he was surrounded by an army of hunters, as the man fell to his knees screaming in agony before being Zach to kill him.

"If you say so," Zach said as he walked up the man's prone form who sat on both knees legs tack back under him having suddenly gone limp before he slit his throat killing him in a wave of blood.

"That's that! _Kid!_ Call command and tell them that the refinery is secure and they have us to thank for it!" Zach said as he calmly walked away from the white fang lieutenants corps as Jaune for. "You all right Jaune? You look like you've seen a ghost." Zach said as Jaune lost it.

 _"What the hell was that?!"_ Jaune asked the boy's black eye blinked once at him.  
"What the hell was what?"  
"That! The whole you're surrounded by hunters!? The hell were you talking about and why did he suddenly believe it!?" Jaune asked as Zach's face turned into a smug smile.

"That was my semblance."  
" Your semblance?"  
"You guessed it! My semblance won us that fight! It takes it a second to work but once it does oh boy!" "What does it do?"  
 _"It makes you hallucinate,"_ Zach said as he saw Jaune's mouth drop.

'It makes you hallucinate?"

"Sure does! Let me give you an example of it! Jaune you remember last night? When I showed you me power point presentation?" Zach asked as he saw Jaune's eyes twitch. Jaune had nearly forgotten about that horrible presentation as he grit his teeth.

"Yeah, what about it?"  
"Tell me about it."  
"What?"  
"Tell me what I showed you. I'm not asking a lot, spitballing really, just tell me what my main points were. The _three things I_ said to you to convince you that woman are _not_ people." Zach said s Jaune paused.

"I… I.." He said as he fought to remember what Zach had sia actually. He remembered it so clearly! But it was eluding him; it was like seeing a line in your eyes. The things that float into your vision once can go away when you focus on them. As he struggled to remember Jaune drew a blank.

"I don't-  
"You don't remember do you?" Zach asked as Jaune's jaw dropped.

 _"You tricked me?"_

"More like you tricked yourself. You see my semblance lets me _influence your brain._ It takes me a moment to set it up because everybody's brain is different after all, but once set up? _I. Am. In!_ I Can make you _see_ or _feel_ anything just by talking about it. You should see how it works for the ladies!" Zach's said as it all made sense.

"The commander… He started seeing hunters because you told him there were hunters!"  
"Yup."

"And he only started taking damage because you said he was!"

"There we go! Winner winner! Chicken dinner!" Zach said as he laughed aloud before starting to walk out of the room.

"But wait! What about last night in the trench! How do you make me… _partial_ to your powerpoint?"

"Simple! You see everybody including your has notions! And like everything else they can be broken. I know you believe women are people _they are by the way._ I was just testing you to see how you like your ideals poked. But I also know that your ideals just like everyone thing elses that beliefs are based on what others have taught you and are not _necessarily_ invulnerable. I just had to tell you that it was a powerpoint that would convince you that they were not people and your brain would _make_ you see a power point it would."

" Over the years I've found it to be _much_ easier to be vague in my deceptions, I found it works much better when I let people's minds do the work for me," Zach said as he began to walk outside the room.

"But! What about the powerpoint! Do you actually have a power point presentation on you right now?"  
"Uh _no,_ fuck would I put it?" He asked as Jaune slapped himself in the face.

"It was all a mirage."  
"More or less although before we leave let me give you some _free_ advice from a concerned friend."  
"We are _not_ friends Zach."  
"Of course we are! Any students in Bastion that can spend more than four hours around each other without _killing, stealing, robbing or assaulting_ one another are _automatically Bastion buddies!_ "  
"That's a low bar for friendship."  
" Of course it is, now listen up. What I said last night was true. Jaune woman _aren't people_." Zach said watching Jaune fume before interrupting him.

"I'm not finished! _Woman aren't people, men aren't people,_ nobody in our school is a person! in Bastion, there are _two_ types of beings. _Yourself and meat_."

Jaune I'll be honest here. I like you I _really_ do. You seem like a good sort, and that's a rare thing in Bastion. You look the guy who actually wants to help people and while that's great! It _will_ get you killed."

"They call you the _White Knight_ of Bastion but that title has a weight to it. I see it in you, remember how I read people? Well, I do and let me tell you that _everybody_ is a junkie! _Especially_ you Jaune. We all have our _fix,_ your's is your friends. You _want_ to save people you have a compulsive need to want to help them, but let me say this _once._ In Bastion there is _you_ and there is _meat."_

"Everyone and anyone that you see that is not you _is meat._ T _hey. Are. Not. People._ Do not see them as such. See them as objects, as tools to be used and discarded when they no longer suit your purposes, because to them that's all you ever are. And sooner or later each and every last one of them from the psychos you sleep with, back to the _loving and trusting_ teammates in Beacon _will betray you_ and leave you to hang like a pile of _meat_. Because to everyone else in the world that is what you are. _Meat._ " Zach said before Jaune spoke.

"Ruby's _not_ like that. I've known her for almost a year and I will tell you _for a fact_. That she is one of in not _the_ single kindest mot loving trusting person I have ever know And she would _never_ use abuse or mistreat me or anybody else _period!"_

" Kage is _not_ like that. Sure he's moody sometimes but I can tell that he would _never_ abandon me _or_ Ruby. Hell, even _Mika_ is not like that. Sure she might be batshit insane but I think she in her own _unique_ way cares about the _entirety_ of team ARKM. I"ll be honest, even if I don't know them very well or at all. Zach, _they are my family._ And as twisted, eccentric of flat-out insane they may be there is _nothing_ you can ever do or say to make think for a moment to consider them as anything less then living beings."

"We are _all_ living things, and I want to help as much as possible. _Even you_. I've never been one to abandon people when I think I can help them and I won't start today." Jaune said making Zach sigh n frustration as he rubbed his bloodied bayonets through his black hair.

"You wan to save people in Bastion? Trust me I've been in this hell for _two years_ now and believe me when I say this! No one and I mean _no_ _one_ in Bastion needs saving because _nobody wants it_. You are wasting your time with this white knight nonsnese, Get with the program look at Kage be like Kage! Do _not_ become Kage but _act_ like him. Cold, smart professional! Do that and you _might_ just _might_ see those freinds of yours again." Zach said as he finished his speacha nd waved Jauen forward.

Zach said as he finished his speech and waved Jauen forward.

"Come on man! We go to go! Don't want command to wait for us you know?"

 _"But what about Kage?"_ "That moody bastard? He's probably down on the bottom of the base with Six right about now. That moody shit won't let some bastard kill him, not until he gets what he came here for." Zach said Jaune paused.

"That moody bastard? He's probably down on the bottom of the base with _Six_ right about now. That moody shit won't let some bastard kill him, not until he gets what he came here for." Zach said Jaune paused.

"What did Kage come here for?" Jaune asked as he saw Zach grin. As the boy buy a green blood smeared bayonet to his throat in a thinking gesture.

"You'll have to ask him yourself _won't you?"_ Zach said as the two walked out of the room...

* * *

 _"You should have brought more men,"_ Kage said as he sighed once and began to trot.

 _"Get him!"_  
 _"He's right in front of us!"_  
 _"Give me a shot!"_

Do they _ever_ stop talking? Kage wondered as he leisurely strolled up to the white fang before drawing his pistols and firing. _BANG!_ The first white fang member popped like a grape as his body was torn in two. A bright green flash filled the room as his aura went critical as it below into pieces as he was torn to shreds.

 _"He got Perry!"_  
 _"You asshole!"_

"Do you _ever_ stop talking?" Kage asked as he leveled both pistols and began to squeezed the triggers and fired.

The fang popped like grapes under a boot as he unloaded round after round of shells into them.

One shot _three kills._ Kage thought as he aimed his guns. _BANG!_ The reactive mass shells fired ripped clean through the first man in its path. They never even had time to scream as the miniature rockets overload their aura with sheer concussive force s they popped like cans of soda.

As the rounds traveled he grimaced as the waste of ammunition. Bolt rounds were not meant to kill unarmoured targets. They're meant to pierce and crack the hardest armor known to man. As their specialized explosives did damage based on the mass of a target. They were meant to impact large enemies, penetrate their armor explode and have the concussive force damage the rest of their target.

Since these enemies were almost made of _literal_ paper the rounds tore clean through the first man, and the _second,_ and the _third_ man in their paths. Before finally reaching the end of their flight arc where their mass reactive cores would instantly detonate filling the hallways with razor-sharp shrapnel and sending the surrounding faunus screaming and howling to the floor as long jagged metallic shrapnel shards imbedded themselves into their flesh.

Since these enemies were almost made of literal paper as they tore clean through the first man, and the second, and the third man in their paths. Before finally reaching the end of their flight arc where their mass reactive cores would instantly detonate filling the hallways with razor-sharp shrapnel and sending the surrounding faunus other less as bases of jagged metal embed themselves into their flesh.

As he fired his shells, Kage sighed at the tedium of the task at hand. These men were no challenge, and the thought of another slaughter saddened him. When was the last time I had a real fight? Kage wondered to himself as he jogged forward. BANG!BANG!

He fired again and again into the mass of faunus, each shot from the massive pistols sent his arms flying back before he casually reloaded them and counted to fire. BANG!

Each shot struck as and each shot killed. As his rounds _pulped_ the charging faunus, limbs were shorn off, stomachs were liquified, ribcages collapse inwards, and spinal columns were turned into grisly versions of rain resembling a macabre version of a pinata exploding as he jogged forward.

The Faunus started coming at him like a wave. A wave of _angry uncoordinated and belligerent opponents_. A mass of ill-trained poorly lead and unprofessional soldiers that stood no chance against any real army unit let alone him. As he sprinted forward as the wave b _egan to break._

As their comrade's bodies were _bisected, liquefied, pulped,_ and blown into hundreds of pieces. Some faunus thought they stood a better chance at life if they ran the _opposite_ way down the hallway away from the man currently butchering them, like they were cattle and he the slaughterer.

Kage sighed once again as the inevitable happened. When you do _not_ have an organized retreat this happens. Men racing forward collided with men running back. Bodies slammed into each other as men collided and crashed in their frenzied attempts to escape the monster at the head of their pack. It made little difference to Kage whether the fled or fought. If they got in his way, _they would die, if the didn't? They would die._ Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but all living things die. It was the natural order of life for all thing was born and, all. Things. Die.

"Except me." kAge said as the faint almost imperceptible edges of a smile formed on his face as the once rowdy and inorganic charged descended into a messy quagmire of blooded dying men screaming for their mothers or for merciful death, as their comrades ran backward some dragging pulped maimed crippled or half dead allies with them. Others eschewed their erstwhile comrade's others ran back in a every man of himself gesture of survivability.

Kage respected that in a man, the dier to live was in very living creatures and thos the shoe it always had some respect in his heart. As he lightly jogged some faunus even be fighting themselves. As they ran into men from behind who called them cowards as the one in front called them fools.

Blows were trend knifes shells and guns fired as Kage sighed again. Amateurs. He thought himself as his firearms finally ran out ammunition and he stepped into the quagmire of blood, intestines, guts, and viscera. The faunus never had time to scream as Kage was upon them.

The first man died quickly as Kage reloaded his pistols and blew his brain apart. The man dropped like a sack of bricks Kage's face was splattered with hot blood making his bronze skin match that of his armor. The bolt round tore through the man head burst his aura in half, before doing the same to two more unfortunate white fang members before finally reaching its destination of a crowd of faunus where it detonated turning five more members of the fang into bloody confetti.

Ah well, he sighed as the faunus _finally_ reacted to his presence. There was a mixed reaction as they reacted predictably to the daemon the their midst. Some panicked and redoubled their efforts to fell, others begged and cried for quick deaths and others still huddle up into balls of the fetal position as red armor boot stomped through the bloodied hallways.

Kage paid those faunus no mind as he jogged the ones that caught his attention where the one to stand and fight. Either by some perverse fight or flight mechanics, sheer desperation, or wanting revenge at their butcher they attempt to swarm him in a mass of clawing fangs, rifle buts, and bayonets.

They. All. Died.

The first three men died as a series of pistol shot put bowling ball sized holes into their stomach throat and head. As their bodies dropped the remainder of the faunus that could charge and were not incapacitated or cowering attacked him.

 _BANG! BANG!_  
The antic stink of bolt ammunition filled his nose as another tow faunus were pulped bloodily by a bolt round. The remaining fang faltered for one critical second and sealed their fate. They never really had a chance, but they might have scared his armor if they managed to swarm him. As they paused, he was upon them.

 _CRACK!_

One man's skull was crumpled as he swung his pistol but down in a brutal downward arc that pulped the man's head like a melon, as he crushed it in one brutal swing.

The man's head crumpled like a soda can as his body dropped to the floor showering the area with blood, bones, and brains. As the sitting car from his left. He instantly grabbed the faunus man arm breaking it and shooting him in the face. _BANG!_  
The man's face turned into a grotesque bang of bone shrapnel as his face popped like a balloon _. FHATUH!_ Kage said as he spat out a price of the man's brains from his lips. "I never liked the taste," Kage said absentmindedly as he pivoted the and took a three-shot burst at the faltering faunus killing them all before tossing the dead body to the ground as he continued to attack.

The few faunus that could fight were up and on him and still, they all died. But, seeing how ammunition for his weapons was _not_ easy to make Kage opted for his least favorite style of combat, _melee._

Kage was unusual amongst most Bastion students as he not only did _not_ have a shifting weapon he _only_ used ranged combat. When able and within reason of course. Kage had a personal _disdain_ for melee combat. Hating the part where he had to run towards the people trying to kill him braving feet if not miles incoming ranged firepower only for some ghost of a chance to maybe make it into melee range to try to hack down as many enemies as possible before being blown apart in a shower of blood and las fire.

Now ranged combat was another story _entirely._ Mainly because unlike melee combat which was _random, brutal and most of all pointlessly risky._ Melee just didn't make sense.

Unlike ranged combat, that _made_ sense. Sitting back picking off enemies from a _nice comfortable distance_ why they tried pointlessly time and time again to get within an inch of your guns was the preferred and if he was honest the only _real_ way to engage in warfare.

Now Kage was no fool, and he knew that melee combat did have it' uses. Such as now. When he was sin the thick of things with the fang and he no longer wished to uses his ammunition. He took a deep breath as he focused his mind and slipped into a battle trance. Time _dipped and slowed_ as Kage remembered the _hours_ of melee training Hino _drilled_ into him, _quite literally drilled_ that is as he began to act.

Limbs, arms, and legs all shot out to mar his journey. The few surviving fang were trying to mob him down with sheer weight of numbers. A tactic that _might_ have worked if not for two things. _One_ they were desperate, their attacks clumsy and unskilled _. Two_ , that was Venke Kage. He had been killing his entire life, and he knew how to handle a brawl, that and his Bastion training, armor and semblance made him all but _impervious_ to their strikes.

As he beat and bludgeoned and smashed his way through the fang arms snapped in half, limbs were broken in two and taken away in beaten bloodied stumps. He sang his pistols like improvised clubs, breaking skulls and shattering spines as he swung and bashed his way through. Men and woman cried and screamed as their, limbs, throats and head all vanished under metal pistol butts, as their throats were caved in by armored elbows as he bullied his way through the mob of desperate, terrified men, as she hit and smashed, broke and pulped eventually the mob of men became less and less present and eventually the men left to attack him all but vanished as his combat trance left him as he snapped awake.

He was alone in a hallway, was stained red with blood, intestines littered the floor and hung loosely around his armour like macabre types of sausages. The walls were littered with crushed and crumpled bodies as the terrible squelching sound of his boots cruchingbones and breaking bodies entered his head, The entire hallway was a damned _charnel house_ , a vision straight out of hell, macabre enough even for the _worst_ of Dante's visions, to have pride, he had just single handily butchered over forty men and all he could think about it was one word.

 _"Huh."_ He said simply sighed as he open a door, " _The damned mechanicus better be thankful I got them this._ " Kage said she walked into the door leaving that vision straight out of hell and entering a _n_ all-new _one..._

* * *

 _"Kage you made it!"_ Six, said s the tall bloodstained form of Venke Kage sauntered out in the now Bastion occupied refinery. "Yup I made it." He said in his usual dull monotone level of speaking as he eyed his leader and despite his action his best friend.

"See! I told you the moody fuck wouldn't die so easily! You need to stop worrying so much! Zach said as Jaune stepped away from the other and strode up to was off about his leader. As his normally light blue eyes were cold and piercing as he reached him.

"What did you come here to get?" Jaune asked in a steel tone as Kage pulled out a metal orb from his back pouch.

 _"This,"_ Kage said as he mollified his leader. Jaune had been expecting Kage to lie about having an ulterior motive, but boy simply showed him a bright silver ball that assed to fit easily into the palm of his hand.

"What is that?" Jaune aside as he eyed the object.

" _Arco-tech_. The techies at Bastion wanted it, so they asked me to give it to them. For a fee of course." kage said as protected the object before he heard Zach Swear.

"Colonel! Look sharp!" He hissed as the towering form of the Bastion death Korps colonel came marching to their group.

 _"Gentlemen!_ I see you have done a swell job taking this refinery! I also seem to have you to thank for the rout of the white fang forces during our battle at he front. I take it you had something to do with half the enemy forces suddenly turning and running away from our lines before we routed them?"

"Yes, sir! It walls part of the plan to take this base as quickly and as soon as possible sir!" Zach says the gas masked man eyed him.

"Strange, I don't remember telling you to sneak attack this base? In fact, I remember having a vox operator specifically tell you to join the front attack, what happened to that?"

"We were having Vox difficulties, sir! Our iniation student was having trouble reading the Vox we apologize for the inconvenience, sir!" Zach said as the man sighed and grabbed his plasma pistol from the side of his uniform.

"Normally I would have you all shot for insubordination. But since you did successfully retake the refinery I am will to overlook this… the technical difficulty this once. Do not have any more Vox problems in the future. Until then take some time to relax evacuation is on its way in thirty until then you are dismissed." the man stated as he stalked off leaving the boys to sign a collective sigh of relief before six yelled.

"Hey look girls!" He said as the four tun to use as sight from hell.

Left to right stood the bloodied, mud covered absolutely filthy forms of, Hino, Ruby, Krix, and Mika. All the girls were covered in blood and intestines as their face was marred by dirt and debris as they all had looks of anger and frustration in their eyes.

"What took you lot so long? You missed all the fun! Pfftt! Woman." Zach said as the girls looked ready to kill them….

* * *

 **: Well there we go! Another Bastion chapter down with a new semblance! Trust me all the characters in Bastion have their own semblance and they get pretty wild. The nest one is the beginning of the girl's arc where we see how the fairer sex did during this fiasco! Until then I'm off to work on Endangered species! lasts stand rarely if ever end well so here's to that! Untill next time!**


	14. You can't always get what you want

**:OK! Bastion's back! And this time we see things from the girls perspective! What trouble did they get into during their odd separation from the guys? Did anything happen in the bunker? Well, let's find out!**

"You missed all the fun!" Zach said to the line of approaching girls who all looked ready to murder as they glared at him.

Ruby was covered in dark mud as her prosthetic eye whirred on him. Mika was equally sullied, with her once fine furs bathed in mud and filth, Hino looked irritated at even breathing, and Krix looked like she was going to eviscerate him before he spoke up.  
 _"What took so long?"_

* * *

 _Earlier…._

"Run!" Jaune yelled as he led his team over the trenches into the hell of bullets and shrapnel as team ARKM charged over the badlands trenches and into the fight.

 _"Gah!"_ Ruby cried as a mortar shell rocked her small frame as a dull _Whump! Crack!_ Filled the air as the young girl sprinted forward. The air was filled with the sound of running screaming children followed by a sharp _Bang!_ As weapons fire tore into their ranks. Light filled her eyes as her vision went white as she sprinted through the hard _dead earth_ of the badlands. It was a vision of hell around her.

Students of all types were being ripped apart and chewed up like pieces of meat. As bombs detonated in their midst as shrapnel reeved their surroundings taking a bloody toll of all aura and nonaura users. As the harsh _Crack!_ Of automatic weapons fire filled the air as students suddenly and awkwardly pitched forward and fell onto crumpled heaps of flesh never to stir again on the _cold dead earth_ , as she watched them die as they were yanked backward off the ground as if some giant invisible hand had suddenly pulled them back and yanked them off the ground and slammed them into the cold blood filled mud.

Ruby _panicked,_ as the screams and cries of the dead and dying filled her ears followed by the harsh _Whump! Bang!_ Of artillery shells struck the ground as the sound of shrieking shrapnel-filled her ear, it was _too much!_ The young girl had grown used to killing in the arena, she even _enjoyed_ it. Where there was a purpose! Where there was a goal that was both clear and outlined! She killed or be killed, and that was it! But this? This trench warfare!? _This was madness!_

It was sheer _anarchy_ around her as students of all ages were butchered into bright body pieces right in front of her face. As supersonic projectiles tore heads from bodies and ripped limbs from arms. Bullets shredded into initiate students tuning them into bloodied bullet filled sacks of flesh filled with broken bodies and flapping flesh, or they _bounced_ off aura clad students in bright flashes of blue or white before _eventually_ ripping to into their aura and blowing them apart.

It was _madness, chaos, anarchy,_ every type of hell imaginable played out in front of her face as students were blown pack by bullets, ripped apart by shards of shrapnel or simply _gone_ into bright plums of fire and smoke.

As artillery stuck into their lines deafening her ears and sending her sprawling as the concussive force of the shells threatened to smash the small girl head first into the ground. All of this was made worse by the _literal_ plethora of information given to her by her eye. It was going absolutely _haywire!_ Pointing out firing points from the enemy trench emplacements, as a world of crimson information filled her eyes as she saw the _exact_ moment and time _each_ student died in _brilliant_ detail as her _eye_ struggled to point out _exactly_ what was killing her allies and where it had come from.

As she sprinted forward her eye screwed forward making Ruby cry aloud as tears fell from her good eye as her prosthetic focused on the enemy machine gun emplacements and _demanded_ she fired upon the gunner as it _spoke_ to her so she did.  
 _BANG! BANG! BANG!_  
Ruby fired _Crescent Rose_ three times and _each_ bullet hit a faunus gunner in the head blowing them back blasting out the back of their brains in brilliant showers of blood as the fire on her fellow student lessened slightly. As they ran the machine gun fire slacked but the artillery fire did not lessen or take any breaks.

As she ran, her eye was going _insane_ plotting courses and paths for her to escape the deadly barrage of rapid firing metal as the familiar _Whump! Crack!_ Of artillery filled the air as she sprinted forward.  
: **RUBY,** **ENEMY FIRE** TO **INTENSE! TAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS!** Her _eye_ said to her as it laid out a plan for her to evade the artillery fire.  
" _What?!_ You can _talk_ to me!?" Ruby yelled to her eye as sprinted forward.  
 **TAKE EVASIVE ACTION! _NOW!_**

"Why would I listen to _you!?"_ Ruby shouted to her _eye_ as she ran forward into a hail of metal, fire, and death.

 **: JUST _DO IT_! UNLESS YOU _WANT_ TO _DIE_ THAT IS!**  
Her _eye_ yelled at her through the painful blood red screen as Ruby gritted her teeth as she eschewed her _death korps_ training and activated her semblance. As the students charged Ruby _ran_ , she _ran and ran and ran._ She had no idea where she was foin but anywhere was better than here! Ruby wanted to be home, she wanted to be in Beason back with team RWBY or team JNPR, hell she would even take Bastion's dorms! As another sharp artillery fire stuck by her sending her world into chaos and Ruby spiraling _hard_ into the _cold dead earth._

The world around her was a vision straight out of hell, blood fire death screaming the cacophony of death and violence overcame the girl's mind as eye kept giving her sights and routes as she forced all input from her sight and _ran..._ She ran and ran and never stopped.

As she sprinted, she found a familiar from tackling her and forcing her into the mouth of an enemy trench as she smacked into the ground hard.

"GAH!" Ruby cried out in pain as her aura blocked her injury, she was going to scream at her abuser, but her voice was cut out of her as a _WOSH_! Of flame entered the trench robbing it of air as Ruby fought to breathe. _"GAK!"_ The girl cried as raging white flame entered the trench as the familiar scent of ozone filled her nostrils as she saw the nightmarish visage of Mika grinning with glee as she hosed down half the channel in the _baleful_ chemical fire of her flamer _Chamberlin_. The girl's face was forced into a manic grin as she wore a pair of emerald goggle over her eyes as the girl's flames flickered back on her face giving her a genuinely nightmarish visage as the screams of the dying filled the trench line as the faunus were cooked _alive._

Ruby _gaked_ as a large black hand slammed into her chest forcing out her lungs as the thick chemical smoke from the flamethrower choked out the air as it washed along the left side of the trench.

As the horrible cries of the famous being cooked alive filled the air and the terrible stench of cooking meat filled her nostrils, Ruby was grabbed by her arm as Mika leaped into the trench putting her flamethrower to the side and grabbing her arm.

"Come on friend Ruby! We have faunus to char!" Mika said as she pulled the reaper along the hard muddied floor of the trenches as they sprinted forward through the muddy, blood-soaked quagmire of the trench floor.

* * *

 _"AHH!"_ A faunus screamed as Ruby cut into his leg and arm off in one swift swipe from her scythe, _Crescent Rose._ The man yelled aloud as bright blood filled the air before Ruby decapitated him with a swipe of her scythe sending his head soaring through the air in a shower of blood. As the man died _FWOOSH!_ The roar of chemical fire filled the air as Mika doused a trench opening in the fire as the two girls fought back to back along the trenches.

It had been like this for _several_ minutes after the initial entry into the trench Mika had sealed off their one attack route with her chemical fire forcing her and Ruby to fight together along the side of the trenches eastern length.

 _FISSHHTT!_ Another scream _another_ splatter of fresh blood filled the air as Ruby diced as a group of faunus with her scythe. The faunus screamed aloud as the blade cut them to bits. Ruby dashed back and forth along the trench using her semblance to gain speed only to fire backward along the line slicing and dicing any faunus if her way. As she dashed up and down the trench Ruby used her weapon like a surgeon used a scalpel.

Each blade tip cut into _necks, knees or arms_ either cutting _deep_ into flesh and rewarding her with the sights and smell of _fresh_ blood and jagged _white_ bone. _Or_ she sliced the weapon into hard incandescent flashes of blue as it impacted aura as the faunus were spared _temporarily_ as the scythe bounced off the protective barrier. Either way, it made no difference, even if the scythe was displaced it was only a minor set back, _Ruby would return eventually_. And when she did the faunus would die, after all, she _was_ the _Red Reaper_ _of Bastion_. And she _needed_ her pound of flesh, and she would have it _all the same._

While Ruby _painted_ the trench walls red with blood and gore, Mika put her two lien in by sealing off their attack routes of the fang, as the trench were all connected with long _spidery sinew like trenches_ Mika prevented them from getting surrounded and flanked by faunus as she coated the trenches in a harsh chemical fire that fille the air with the terrible screams of the faunus as the _antic_ the scent of ozone, followed by the _sharp_ smell of _cooking flesh_ filled the air.

* * *

 _Death, death_ was all along the trench as ruby sprinted back and forth. The faunus looked at her in pure shock. Even with their white fang masks on Ruby could _see_ the shock in their eyes, as she sprinted forward only to dash backward in a shower of roses only to dice the offending faunus into neatly sized portions of meat as the white fang were sliced apart.

While Ruby diced the faunus and Mika _cooked_ them alive the two made good progress along the trench line together works as a well-oiled killing machine. As they fought Another faunus was sliced in half by her scythe Ruby noted that where she killed the faunus, she noticed she felt... _nothing._ She didn't feel the _tingly sensation_ of _sliced flesh;_ she _didn't_ felt the same sharp tingling sensation as she s _liced and cut!_ Into their flesh.

Their screams _didn't_ fill her body will that _electric current_ that made Bastion worthwhile and their deaths brought her _no_ feeling of ecstasy. In fact, to her it was almost _mundane_ , as the actions _instead_ of filling her with _heat and vitality_ were _dull,_ to Ruby, it was _almost_ like the _folding of clothes,_ in fact, it was even _boring_ for the reaper as the two butchered the faunus in masse in the trenches before reaching the end of it.

"Isn't this _fun_ Ruby!?" Mika asked as flashed her ax down cutting the leg off a faunus giggling with glee as the man's bone was exposed to the air as he screamed in pain before there was a massive _THUD!_ As she slammed her ax into the trench walls decapitating him before yanking out her ax and flinging herself to the right narrowly avoiding a clumsy rifle swing from another white fang member before kicking him back as hosed down a trench in the harsh white fire.

 _"Not reall_ y," Ruby admitted being surprisingly honest with the girl as she fought back to back with her.

" _Huh? Why not?"_ Mika asked as she pushed another wall of chemical fire into a trench opening, Ruby grimace as she watched the offending white fang scream aloud as their flesh was sloughed off their skin as the faunus screamed and cried as they fell to the dull, muddy wooden floors of the trench.

"Mika where are we going?" Ruby asked her friend as she uses that word lightly as the two fight through the trench.

"To the refinery _silly!"_ Mika said blazing down another trench and laughed with palpable glee as the pained screams filled her ears.

"I know that but where are we?" Ruby asked the girl as they finally felt the battle falter as the two ended their sprint and went into a _light_ jog.

"I don't know if I am going, to be honest, I'd say we're _somewhere_ along the _eastern front_ ," Mika admitted as she stabbed an injured faunus in the back killing him instantly before yanking her ax out int fountain on blood.

"Aren't we supposed to _avoid_ the eastern front?" Ruby asked as the two girls found themselves at a crossroads of the trench work. There were four paths ahead of them, all leading into spiraling section of the labyrinth of trenches. Neither girl had a map or even a compass as they approached the nexus.

"I'm going _this_ way!" Mika declares as she pointed her ax to the right and began walking forward.

"Mika _wait!_ You don't know what's over there!"

"No, but I do know that whatever is over there is a _helluva lot_ better than standing around here!" Mika declared making Ruby seethe.

"You can't; just walk away without me!"

"Then come with me! It'll be fun! Just me and you! It's about time we had some quality girl talk you know?" Mika asked as Ruby glared at her before reluctantly following the girl further into the trench line.

* * *

 _"Get down!"_ A voice yelled as Ruby sliced off the leg of a faunus making him cry out in pain before planting her scythe through his chest slamming him into the ground with a heavy _thud!_ Before his back even hit the ground Ruby had already tossed herself down to the wooden trench floor narrowly avoiding getting her body annihilated as half of the trench line exploded into fire.

 _FIT! FIT! FIT! VATHUM!_ A shower of dirt covered the young girls body as she was thrown _violently_ down onto the dank wooden floor of the trench as bullets the size of _bowling balls_ blew _boulder-sized_ holes in the trench work sending her spiraling to the ground in a shower of red as her prosthetic eye _fought_ to keep her world in cheek, _refusing_ to let her lose her grip on the battlefield.

Almost _instantly_ her eye had narrowed down here the hostile fire was coming from, bathing the world in light crimson as her eye identified the fire coming from a dull grey fortified bunker complex standing three stories high with two automated cannon emplacements raining down death onto her from up high.

Before Ruby could think a shower of pink projectiles field the trench line followed by the _awful_ sound of whirring drills filled the air as two girls jumped into the trench line.

One of the girls Ruby recognized as Hino dressed in dark dull fatigues as she wore a pair of jet black combat boots along with light grey flak armor who was following a girl with near sheet-white skin and pink hair who was firing an assault rifle of some type into faunus as they were ripped apart by pink ammunition.

"Are you alright?" Hino asked her as her calm brown eyes filled with compassion regarded her worriedly. Despite everything Ruby liked Hino. She seems to be a kind and generous person, and Ruby found it difficult to believe why she was in Bastion in the first place.

"Yeah, I'm fi-

 _FIT!_ _VATHUM!_ Ruby was interrupted from her speech as twin cannon shells hit the trench line blowing nearly bullhead sized holes in the lines covering them in debris and threatening to _bury them_ in a shower of dirt and wood. " _GAH!"_ Ruby cried as she and Hino were forced face down into the now half-destroyed trench line as the cannon continues firing on them.

" _We need to get to those pill boxes!"_ Mika cried as her, and the strange new girl with pink hair and an assault rifle halbred were huddled up next to one another taking cover from the flurry of projectiles as Ruby glared at the bunker. As her eye collected information on the threat.

"It's a _half_ mile away! The gunners are approximate-  
 _FIT! FIT!_

Ruby was interrupted by another barrage of cannon fire which nearly broke her body into a thousand pieces as the cannon rounds impacted the trench walls, ripping them asunder as she hit the deck cursing at the top of her lungs.

"What did you say!?" Hino asked as the young reaper repeated the coordinates to the brown skinned girl.  
"I said-  
 _VATHUM!_ Ruby was once again interrupted as another cannon shell hit the line filling it with dirt and interrupting her sentence.

 _"I got it!"_

Hino yelled before point one of her massive drill bearing hands toward the pillboxes as a mechanic _FISHT!_ Was heard as the sound of firing cables filled the air as a long metallic cable _shot_ out from her gauntlet as she was _lifted_ off of the ground by some type of rappelling device as Ruby gawked at her.

What happened next would be _burned_ into Ruby's mid for the rest of her life as the sound of a drill revving up followed by the single most terrible human scream entered her ears followed by the awful sound of tearing meat followed by as the gun emplacement went silent, and the trench was bathed in an eerie calm. As the guns went silent as the screaming was silenced as the entire trench was bathed in an eerie silence.

"Is it clear?!"  
The girl in pink shouted into her ear waiting several long moments before a muffled voice replied _"yes._ "

As a small door was opened on the outside of the pillboxes as the bloodied and tall form of Hino emerged absolutely covered in blood and viscera and waving them forward.

Wasting no time. Ruby Mika and the strange girl with pink hair ran out from the trenches. Ruby's eye instantly scanned the environment showing that only several scattered emplacements had them in their sights as several stray bullets from far off gun emplacements and a _stray_ mortar round smashed around them coving them in the dirt and sending shards of shrapnel into their aura making the girls wince in pain as razor-sharp shrapnel impacted against their aura making them grimace as they sprinted for the open door.

 _"Get in!"_ Hino yelled as the girls ran past her and sprinted into the bunker complex.

* * *

"Where _are_ we?" Ruby asked as she found herself in a plain opaque room with dim lighting form a _dirty_ yellow light that hummed in a way that put her teeth on edge, as a dull _Vrtthm!_ Filled the room as the four girls gathered into the pillbox entrance as the _grisly_ form of Hino still covered in blood and gore _firmly_ shut the door behind them.

"White fang bunker emplacement! I killed the gunners up top, but these bunkers go _deep!_ There are literally _miles_ of tunnels leading from bunker to bunker underground, and they are _crawling_ with Fang member. I killed the ones up top and _everyone_ on my way down but the place will be up to its neck in faunas soon so we need to clear out the remaining holdouts until we clear it out!"

Hino shouted as the four girls nodded their assent as they gathered their weapons and jogged to the small door connecting the small room the remainder of the complex as Hino kicked it down after spinning the massive turning lock before kicking the door down as the shouts and cries of white fang entered the room as Hino took on the vanguard as the girls charged...

* * *

It was _madness,_ chaos, and agony of such degrees it put the hell of the trench charge to _shame,_ The chaos was _only_ worsened as her _eye_ gave her in-depth rundown of the _exact_ way the fang died, as Ruby sliced a man in two bisecting him past his aura as the girls fought their way through the small tunnel complex. As the man died in a burst of blood as his body was complete diced in two, the small girl took a look around her to take in the sheer _brutality_ of their attack.

It was _bedlam_ pure and simple as the four students plunged the tunnel into chaos, there was anarchy in the small tunnel as the four Bastion students fought against a score of white fang. Unlike the trench line where there was a wide open space for the anarchy to rain in the small confined space of the tunnel, in an area no more then _ten_ feet long and _twelve_ feet high the entirety of the hallway was plunged into a madness and fell into an orgy of violence and blood that would _haunt_ the girl forever...

 _VRRRMM!_

The sound of whirring drills filled the air as Hino pivoted paused and jabbed forward as she smashed one of her pneumonic drills into a Faunus's face causing a bright flash of blue only for it to explode in a shower of gore as his face just _vanished_ into a mist of blood bone and brain as the drill _macerated_ the meat.

As the first man fell, Hino _never_ lost a step as she smashed her drill into another faunus knee cap sending the man howling in agony as the drill made short work of his aura, pants, and bone as it revved up to a deafening pitch and liquefied the limb. The man cried out before another drill jab pulped his head in a sickening _FLSHP!_ As the drill obliterated his skull before kicking his body back and sliding forward and slamming into the charging fang like a wrecking ball.

She fought with the patience and skill of a glacier, slow and impeccable. Every time she moved it was with a purpose and each shot of her arms, each jab or hook forward was followed by a horrible popping sound followed by sick gargles of minced meat as the drills made short work of any challengers, Halfway into her charge a _luck_ y fang strike slammed her head with a broadsword causing her to stagger backwards as her aura flashed yellow before grabbing the man's arm breaking it before slamming a drill into his head and melting him in a shower of blood and the whirring of motors.

As she led their vanguard of their offensive luck was _not_ always on her side. They were fighting terrorist and even if _most_ did not know the sharp end of a sword from the base there were enough who _did_ know and even the ones who didn't there were simply _too many_ of them to _not_ hit the girl as she crashed her way through the faunus.

As bullets knifes swords and axes all made their way into her flesh. Bypassing her drill guard and strikes and striking true. Her aura glowed a _violent_ shade of gold as she battered her way through Ruby noticed something off. When she was _first_ hit by a sword and short rang Hino staggered and looked like she had been _rocked_ by the impact as she _should,_ but now?

As bullets, blades, and shrapnel impacted her, it was like she was _barely_ affected by the blows. Her aura glowing a fierce gold as she pushed forward undaunted through the melee it was not until a massive _chainsaw_ impacted her face wielded by an absolute _monster_ of a man and _barely_ caused her to lose a step as she mashed apart his kneecap in before she delivered a fierce uppercut that pulped his head into bright violent ribbons of flesh that Ruby realized something about Hino was very, _very_ _off._

As she bashed her way forward, it was like the _more_ she was hit the less effect the enemies blows had on her, as her drills _pulped_ their way through the faunus filling the room with screams and cries as bloody ribbons were painted onto the wall liquified the Fang members.

As Hino acted as the _blunt_ tool of the charge the strange girl now known as _Krix_ fought with the skill of a ballet performer. She unlatched her long halberd from her assault rifle; its sharp tip glowing pink as an _electric_ current filled the air as it _pulsed_ with pink energy, a sizzling sound filled the air as she sliced a mans limb off at the leg causing the man to how in pain as a wave of blood flowed from the severed limb, the man screamed in pain before a trio of pink assault rifle bullets ripped into his chest sending him flying back in a shower of blood as she blasted him forward.

As the man fell backward the girl moved with the grace of a dancer as she flowed like liquid through their ranks. She dipped and flourished through their ranks her glowing pink halbred sweeping through the fang that survived the blunt charge of Hino as she sliced apart and stragglers that tried to attack the vanguard girls backside.

As she slashed and cut, Ruby took odd notice of how that _most_ of the girl's Bastion weapons, in fact, _all_ of the weapons _except_ for hers seemed to either shoot into aura with _contemptuous_ ease or in the case of _bladed_ weapons they seem to _ignore aura altogether_. A fact her _eye_ confirmed for her as it noted that the fang who died some of them _still_ had their full aura and they died with theirs at full bar. As Krix slashed and shot into the fray, Ruby was well aware of the _fourth_ part of their group _Mika_ who looked like she was having the time of her life.

" _Hello, mister terrorist!_ _Would you like to have a chat!?"_ Mika asked as her ax flourished outward slicing off limbs and freeing heads from the charging white fang as the girls sliced and diced their way forward. Unlike the first two girls who fought unyielding patience and the other who killed like a ballerina dancer, Mika acted like a _fury_. She jumped and dashed laughing all the way. As she plunged into the fang especially practically _leaping_ on the _injured_ faunus taking limbs off their downed forms and taking _odd_ care to avoid damaging their animal parts.

Unlike the others, Mika fought with an edge of _sadism_ , unlike the others who killed quickly _and_ efficiently taking no extra time to put the terrorist to death Mika _worked at her own pace._ As she slashed upward taking a mans leg off in a fountain of blood making him scream aloud losing his balance before she slammed her axe into his chest with a sickening squelching sound, as she put her blade deep but _not_ too deep, _only_ enough to ensure his death but not enough to actually kill but instead letting him choke on his own blood.

She made sure that while she _did_ kill all the faunus she fought she made sure _none_ died too quickly as she jumped away from him and slashed forward into the fang holding one-sided conversations with the screaming fang as they fought their way through. Asking them about day to day tasks, like buying groceries, where they like to eat and whether they thought her _pelts_ looked good, as she slaughtered her way through them. The hallways were painted red with blood and gore as the four students made mincemeat of the terrorist group…

* * *

"We are _here!"_ Hino said pointing to a large map on the wall. It was _well_ after an hour since the four girls fought their way past the underground bunker complex and into a supply room of the first pillbox.

" We are here! Over _three miles_ from the front lines. We need to leave this tunnel system and go here!" She said pointing to a spot on her map where a series of spiraling tunnels seems on interconnect in a central area right _underneath_ the Bastion students front line.

"If we go here we can regroup with our main forces and join up with the assault on the refinery," Hino explained to the group of gather students as a small fire made from piles of stray debris and broken furniture, courtesy of Hino's pneumonic drills that had made short work of the luckily wooden furniture around them. As the fire crackles slowly Ruby had a burning question that Hino cut off.

"Krix? _Any news?_ " Hino asked the girl with pink hair and paper asking as Krix shook her head solemnly.  
"I haven't heard any word about your friends Ruby," Krix said as she shook her head suddenly. She was the _only_ one in the group with a _vox_ link and the only connection they had with the main force. Ruby had practically _begged_ Krix to check for Jaune and Kage's safety from the main force. At first the main force had been _reluctant_ to accommodate them, but in the end, Krix convinced them using a team leader status pull to _convince_ whoever was in charge to at least _check_ for her friends.

So far there had been _no_ sightings of Jaune or Kage. Even _Zach_ was reported missing giving Hino one of _the_ most conflicting looks that Ruby had ever seen on somebody's face. As the girl seemed beyond consolable as she ruminated on the fate of her partner.

Ruby personally did _not_ like Zach, _not at all._ And Ruby liked _everybody_! Well, _maybe_ not Winchester but that was different! When it came down to Zach he was _rude boisterous_ and seemed to _insult_ everyone he meets! Plus the fact that he knew about the true _secret_ of her arena battle made it so that Ruby always felt a certain level of trepidation whenever his harsh black eyes locked onto her own silver ones, and she felt her self-shiver.

"Don't worry Ruby! I'm _sure_ Jaune and Kage are _A-ok!_ I know Kage is _far_ too stubborn to die and he would _never_ let something happen to Jaune! _Not after all the work, he put into him!"_ Mika said an happily as she gave the reaper the _single_ most _disturbing_ embrace of her short life as Ruby fought the urge to hug back. Ruby had _chosen_ to sit next to Mika on the campfire still not used to sleeping without Jaune at her side and _not_ willing to sleep alone.

To be honest it was a hard decision to make. Mika was the only girl Ruby had an _inkling_ of a past relationship, Hino while _seemingly_ kind was still a stranger in all but name as her light born skin and dirt brownish blonde hair was still completely filthy covered in tattered remains of the faunus, as the girls clothes were filled with entrails, brains, and blood.

But then again, _so was everybody else_ as the tunnel fight had left each and every girl covered in gore and viscera as the lack of bathing materials meant that the blood and viscera had coagulated on them leaving htem coverd in a grim macabre vison of horror theirier filth was slowly illuminated by the candlelight. The other girl _Krix_ despite _claiming_ to know Jaune was a complete stranger and Ruby did not like that. Social awkwardness combined with a growing sense of paranoia and dread taht inefect ehr since Bastion left only Mika...

"Thank you… Mika. That means a lot to me." What Ruby said to the strange girl whos hug was oddly warm and very inviting as Ruby blushed as the girl's paper white hands _flowed_ down her back and _drifted_ down her sides making her flush as her slim hands were _gripping_ her with surprising strength as she held her close.

"No problem! What are _murder friends_ for other than to _take care_ of each other! _Right_?" Mika added flashing Ruby as a smile that disturbed the girl as her light green eyes held something indecipherable, something dark and vague, there was a flash of _hunger_ in them as Ruby nodded to her as she turned around as Hino finished explaining the escape plan.

"Starting tomorrow, we are going to attack _here._ You see things have gotten _complicated_ for us."  
 _"Complicated?"_ Ruby asked ignoring the roaming hands of her _friend_ as she listened to Hino talk.  
"Yes complicated, since these tunnels run under our lines we have been ordered to check the leangth of them for any potential risk to our forces before we can extract ourselves."

"These tunnels all have a central maintenance shaft here! That when located we can tell if the Fang is massing any significant numbers for a counter attack, it also will serve as our escape route. If we can open their bulkhead, we can _all_ come up right _underneath_ our own lines! If we want to do this, we will need to shut down the fail-safes of the tunnels. Here, here and here! To do this, we need to turn _three_ opening shafts at the _same time_ for us to go on."

"How are we going to be open them at the same time? If only one of us has the _vox_ link how can we all communicate with each other?" Ruby asked as she noticed a flaw in the plan that Hino seemed to have anticipated and smiled at Ruby making the girl fell an odd level of warmth in her chest.

"I'll handle that! Leave opening the doors to my friend Ruby!" Mika said happily as Hino nodded to her.

"Being in three places at once _is_ your specialty. So I guess you are the best one to send."  
Hino admitted _reluctantly_. As the girl nodded once falling over in her sack and giving Ruby a warm hug that still felt _leaching_ and decided to get some sleep.

As the girls sat down in the odd makeshift sleeping bags that were little more than repurposed sack form the fang supply room Ruby had a question for Hino that she needed answered.

"Hino, back in the fight. I saw you take some hits that you seemed to just walk off, what was-

"My semblance," Hino said calmly as the firelight illuminated her light brown skin as she leaned forward and smiled at Ruby.

"Your semblance?"  
"Yes, it is basically damaging _mitigation._ Basically, it means that whenever I take damage from any source _any_ other type of damage I take will be reduced. So the more am hit the _less_ effect the hits have on me. It's not foolproof though! And I've calculated the damage resistance to cap around _eighty percent_ so I still get hurt I just get hurt a _lot_ less."

"So the more you are hit the _less_ damage you take?"  
"Yup! That's the long short of it. Why do you ask?"  
"Well, I was wondering how you took all that damage in the hallway and just walked on like it never happened."

"You have a semblance _very_ similar to my sister."  
"Oh? Can she reduce damage as well?"  
"No, she can't reduce damage, but instead she gets _increased_ damage every time she takes damage."  
"Huh? So I guess you could say we are opposites then? It's like were mirrors of each other." Hino said yawning once before bidding Ruby good night and going to sleep.

As her prosthetic eye scanned the room and hallways. It had been oddly quiet for the last few hours, not speaking to her once since their talk on the trenches. Making sure there were no enemies within a mile radius of themselves gave Ruby the final all clear. As she nodded once as she left her eyes close. _Jaune, please be all right._ Ruby thought to herself as the girl finally closed her eyes and let sleep finally take her.

* * *

 **: AN DONE! A new Bastion chapter finished for your viewing pleasure! This is the start of me back to my writing schedule so expect updates! For those of you who follow me, Jaune Torchwick is next! So until then have a good day.**


	15. Pillar one Love is a battlefield

**AN: And we are back! Sorry for the long update but here is the long-awaited next chapter of Bastion! This one is more character development than action os sorry:(.**

 **Ps I was watching RWBY Volume 5 with my sister the other day and I had an epihfany. I realized that this fiction had allread taken many liberties from the real show and I thoguht hey since this is a character develpment arc why not make some changes? Especially to how a ceratin reaper _likes_ everbody. It's a risk but I want ot see how it play out so here we go!  
**

* * *

Ruby was _muddy, cold_ and _covered_ in blood. The acquired White Fang sleeping bag and she used that term _lightly_ , _might_ have helped her warm up but it was so tattered in staining, and so badly pieced together that it barely did a thing. As the room glowed red as her augmented eye read the white fang hold out. This is it? She thought tiredly as she laid her head on her makeshift pillow. The tattered remains of several white fang emblems all torn to shreds while she sighed softly.

It was late Ruby was dead tired and wanted _nothing_ more than just lay her head down close her eye and go to sleep. And to her credit, she got _halfway_ there before a voice entered her ear.

" _Psst! Ruby! Psst! Ruby!_ " The irritating voice of Mika said as Ruby opens her fake eyes and glaring motion as the augmented appendage drew firing coordinates onto the girls face.

"Mika _what?_ I'm tired I need to go to sleep." Ruby said to her sleeping partner already regretting her choice on as her partner now looked at her with a bright piercing green glare as she smiled an off-kilter grin to her.

"Let's talk!" "Talk? About what?"

"Talk? About what?"  
"You know girl talk!"  
"Mika is now the time to be doing this? In the middle of the enemy base?"

"Now is the perfect time to have some girl talk!" Mika said happily making Ruby open her other eye in irritation as the girl proved to be just as persistence and determined as usual.

"Girl talk?"

"Yeah, girl talk! We've been friends for over a month, but we've never had any good ole quality time! You know just us girls!"

"So you want to do this now? Of all time in the enemy tunnels?"

"Yup! What better time than the present? It'll be just us girls talking about all of our innermost secret desires!"

"Yes, we can spend all night talking about boys and painting our nail-  
Ruby stopped herself instantly as she remembered how much like a certain heiress she sounded like as she gasped a hand over her mouth, Mika grinned at her.

"That's exactly what I mean! We can spend all night paint nails braiding our hair and talking about boys! What sounds better than that?"

Ruby had several things that were much better than that mainly sleep but was interrupted before she could say them.

"I can't see the harm in it. A calm voice from the side said as Hino rolled over in her sleeping bag her light brown eyes flickering in the fire like dollops of syrup as she eyed two girls calmly.

She brought a calming presence to the room as Ruby instantly felt calmed by her words. It was like someone had wrapped her in a warm blanket and it was as close to relaxed Ruby had been being in Bastion and away from Jaune.

"I don't see the harm, and it would be good to get to know my new friends better," Hino said gesturing to Ruby and Krix who was now sitting up her pink hair a mess knotted and wrapped around her head in battered tuffs as she glared bloody murder at them.

"What in Oum's name are we doing u at this ungodly time?"

"Mika wants to talk," Ruby told the girl who glared her sharpest stare at Mika who looked completely unfazed by it and went on smiling as usual.

"About what?"

"Girl talk!" "Girl talk." Ruby clarified as Krix glared.  
"Girl talk… Why?"

"Because we never get a chance to have a discussion just us girls! It's always one of the guys with us means we can't have a good one on one girl talk!"

"Mika there are four of us. How do you plan on having one on one conversations with three other people?" Krix asked as Mika frowned at her.

"I don't mean literally! You know what I mean Krix! Don't be a party pooper!'

"If you don't-

"Krix. Mika is right. We should get to know one another since we are to be fighting as one. And besides, I doubt Mika will go back to sleep anytime soon." Hino said with a tired look as Mika nodded at her in affirmation as Kirx sighed heavily.

"Fine! Whatever, just don't keep me up ok?" Krix asked as she huffed once and turned in her sleeping bag facing away from the girls and going to sleep.

"Yay! Girl talk!" Mika said happily slapping her hands together before yanking Ruby from her sleeping position and forcing her to sit upright. Earn an actually terrifying glare from the adorable girl as her lone silver eyed glared at her while her prosthetic whined and whined as it's servos busily tried to find the most efficient way of taking her arms frown her body.

"So now that we are up just what exactly is your version of girl talk and what will we be talking about?" Hino asked Mika in her usual patient town as she brought her legs to her chest and rested her pneumonic gauntlets still coated in gore on them.

"I have no idea!"

"I'll kill her," Krix grumbled from over her sleeping bag, and Hino sighed.

"Krix that isn't a very nice thing to say. And besides, you know try to kill her is pointless. She _is_ an immortal masochist you know?" Hino asked as Krix mumbled a reply as Ruby's ears picked up.

Pointless? What does she mean by pointless? Is Mika surprisingly sturdy? Or does she gave a regeneration semblance? Like that guy in the comic who after being military experiments on can regrow entire limbs! You know the guy who likes to eat spicy food and has an elegant mask?

Ruby thought as Hino sighed heavily.

"Mika, why did you wake us up if even you didn't; have an idea for a topic of conversation?" Hino said before Mika gave her a simple response.

"I was well..kind of hoping that I would get my ideas from you all and so.."

"You don't have any solid ideas on the topic do you?" Hino asked s the girl nodded.

" Make that a slow death," Krix added before Mika spoke.

"Oh! I know how about boys! That' always a good topic of conversation!" Mika added error is tuning her sharp green eyes to Rub making the younger girl squirm uncomfortably.

"Ruby! You like Jaune right? I mean it's obvious to me that you have a crush on him and want nothing more than to jump his bones, and use your semblance to ride him off into the sunset! But what about you? Do you know you have a crush on him?"

Miaki asked s the younger girls paused flushed and balked all at once as her face mirrored a tomato as she began to squawk. As her face ent, the color of her cloak and her yes went haywire as it extended in and out of her head whirring wildly in the process.

" _Wh- Wh- What!?_ I do not have a crush on him! And I- I- I- wouldn't use my semblance for _that!_ " Ruby yelled blushing wildly as she fought down a host of emotions as Mika grinned at her.

"Oh really? Because that doesn't look like the face of a girl without a serious case of the love-struck to me!"

" _Mika!"_

"Ruby there's _nothing_ wrong about have a crush on somebody. Or being... _creative_ with your semblance, it is a manifestation of your soul why not use it to enhance the most intimate experience you can have with someone?" Hino asked as Ruby fought the urge to squeal as the older girl kept talking.  
" And why not Jaune? I mean you and him seem to get along well, and he looks to be a good man. He had been taking care of you ever since your arrival here _despite_ his own situations correct?" Hino added making Ruby blush fiercely and mumble out an inaudible string of words.

"But but! I don't-

Ruby's words die in her chair as a bright blush came over her face as Hino gave her a knowing look and Mika grinned at her.

"Aww, our little girl has all grown up! And now she wants to finally have a boyfriend! How adorable!" Mika said in her most condescending voice making her eat an glare from Ruby that amounted to the effect of water on a window pane for fear and intimidation on the girl as Hino chuckled.

"Mika do _not_ tease her. It's hard enough to work up the courage to ask somebody out. You should know." Hino said making Mika go quietly she briefly lost her smile and Hino continued.

"So Ruby you _do_ like Jaune in a _romantic_ way?" Hino asked the girl as Ruby flushed, ducked her head her prosthetic retreating as far back into her skull as possible before nodding _once_ and making Hino bow in a way that Ruby was all too familiar with.

It was the same nod Yang used whenever her **BSS** or _Big sister sense_ proved right about something, and she was vindicated in some way or another. It was a look Ruby had grown to positively loathe throughout her life. Although when coming From Hino the look did not inspire as much loathing as Hino looked like she was honestly understanding her and wanted nothing more than to help. Not to tease taunt or annoyance Yang would, but she simply was acknowledging her instincts and pushing forward to better help the girl with her situation.

"For how long have you harbored these emotions?" Hino asked as the girl blush and began to think.

"Since way back at Beacon. Jaune was…. Jaune was special to me even then." Ruby admitted Hino nodded sagely to her.

"What made him so special. If you don't mind me asking."

"Well… When I first got to Beacon, he was one of the _first_ people to believe in me. You know?"

" _Elaborate,"_ Hino said calmly as she shut her eyes and let a pleasant smile come to her face as the firelight made her rich tanned skin positively glow in the rooms dim light.

"Well… For instance… If you don't know when I got into Beacon, I got in _early._ I was two years _younger_ than anybody else in my year, and I had some _difficulties_ getting along with my classmates." Ruby admitted as Hino nodded at her.

"They didn't respect you for being so young?"

"More or less," Ruby admitted to her as she sighed deeply and continued talking.

"I mean my sister _liked me!_ But that's more of her not willing to let anything bad happen to me like what happened to my uncle, so she more or less treated me like a china doll that would shatter if the _slightest_ thing touched it. Or she treated me like a near dead child that would die if somebody breathed in my general direction."

"So your friends didn't trust you and you sister underestimated you?" Mika asked in a strange moment of clarity as she looked at Ruby not with a menacing grin or a hungry started but honest and genuine empathy. An emotion Ruby was convinced the girl was incapable of showing. "They didn't think I would be a good leader. Most of them thought I was just a kid who just _happened_ to be the best choice on a team that would have torn itself apart at the seems should _any_ other one be elected as a leader.'

"Well, at least you had a partner right? I mean your partner _must_ have like you right?" Mika asked as Ruby grimaced.

"Not... _exactly_ … Like is a _strong_ word for my partners feelings towards me. At least at first." Ruby said as Mika cocked her head at her.

"Not exactly?"

"Well at first. My partner… She... _she hated me."_

"Hated you? But why would she hate you?" Hino asked as her face took on a concerned looks Ruby felt a series of uncomfortable feeling coming from inside her.

"Yeah! What's her deal! You seem like a nice girl!" Mika said as Ruby frowned deeply as she remembers her earlier painful Beacon days.

"She didn't think I was a good leader and she was vocal about her superiority and my… Shortcomings. She even went the headmaster himself to formally request me being removed from my command. "

"She went to your headmaster?" Hino asked in a show a genuine shock as her closed eyes took on a distraught expression as Ruby felt a pang of ice into her ears. As she saw Hino's face

"But why didn't she think you were a good leader? And _what_ qualifications did she could have over you?" Mika asked in her second most serious tone of voice as she eyed her evenly.

"Well, to be honest, I _wasn't_ the best leader when I first started. I _nervous, naive_ and I had absolutely _no_ idea what I was doing and was _beyond_ over my head in my position. And for a while, her claims were _completely_ justified."

Ruby admitted as the two girls paused and allowed her to continue to talk.

"I didn't know the first thing about leading a group of my peers who were all more experience and _far_ more skillful than I and who all had better qualifications to being a leader than I. And for a while, I had no one that talks to about it. _That's_ where Jaune came in."

"He helped you with being a leader?" Hino asked as Ruby nodded to her.

'He was in a _similar_ situation to me. He was also put on a team with people who were all _far_ more skilled than he was and all treated him like he didn't; know the sharp point of his sword to his boots. They acted like he would fall over dead if the wind so much as _blew_ in his general direction."

"I'm assuming Jaune was _not_ as talented as he is today?" Hino asked as Ruby nodded her head.

"Yeah when Jaune _first_ came to Beacon…. He was less than powerful regarding combat or well _anything_ that _wasn't_ a strategy. He always had a knack for the tactical side of engagements, better than anyone I knew especially myself."

"I take it that he was a _far_ cry from the _white knight_ that he is today and that his team took his protection into their own hands?" Hino asked as Ruby nodded to her.

"Yes. In short, they were smothering him. His partner had to _personally_ take his life into his hand when _she_ stopped him from being bullied. His teammate even _broke_ one of his bullies _legs!"_ Ruby said with a slight grin as Mika cocked her head.

" I find it hard to believe that a school like Beacon just _let_ a student break another student's leg? I mean this is Beacon, not Bastion. I don't think that they would have as _lax_ of a guideline for students as Bastion does."

"Well, Nora was _never_ one to care for rules. And her partner helped her hide evidence. Anyways long story short. Jaune and I were being guarded by our teammates. And while it was _nice_ it was also stifling. They refused to let us breathe they refused to let us grow."

"They were stopping your progress. They thought they were helping you, but in fact, they were _inhibiting_ your growth." Mika said s Ruby agreed surprised with her level of insight into the matter.

"Yes. In fact even after out initial hurdles when our team accepted us and we became a functioning unit our times still refused to let us be. They always thought we were _weak, fragile_ and in need of _constant_ round the clock twenty-four-hour protection. They never let us grow, and in the end, it was suffocating."

" And for a while, we were stuck. Muddied in our teams constat dotting we _stopped_ getting better we _stopped_ improving and we began for a while we began _to stagnate..._ Those were bad times and in the end, it took Jaune coming to me to break us out of it."

"What did he do?" Hino asked as Ruby paused and took a deep breath

 _"He offered to fight me,_ " Ruby said with a saccharine grin as Hino blinked in confusion.

"He offered to fight you?" Krix said as she had evidently been unable to go to bed as she rolled over in her bag and stared blearily at her.

"Yes. It turns out his partner was making him fight her after hours to _train_ him to get better. And while it was working her way of training was…. Intense. And while he wanted to get better he wanted a partner that was a bit less….

 _"Passionate_?" Hino asked was Ruby gave her a confused look.

"More like a partner that _didn't t_ ry to stab him in the heart while somehow trying to get into his pants in the _least_ subtle manner humanly possible," Ruby answered as Mika nodded.

"So he wanted to be able to improve _without_ getting felt up?"

"More or less and so _we_ trained. _I_ trained him. And over the days and weeks of nighttime training and after already being each other's best friends the feelings _they just came._ "

"I take it he _doesn't_ know about said feelings?" Hino asked akin Ruby sigh.

"No. I never told him By the time I worked up the courage his partner already confessed to him, it the bluntest manner possible and he accepted."

"How did she confess?" Hino asked as Ruby blushed.

"She asked him out after the first time he landed a _real_ blow on her in the arena. Using a move that _I_ taught kissed him in full view of the call before asking him to be her boyfriend. Needless to say, he accepted, and that was that." Ruby said with a pained visage that Hino instantly caught.

"You seem to have an issue with his partner _besides_ stealing your crush is that so?" Hino asked as Ruby gave an explosive sigh as she balled her fist together so hard she swore she felt blood.

" _Yes_. I have _several_ issues with his partner." Ruby admitted grinding her teeth and _growling_ in a purely non-Ruby like manner.

"Like what?" Hino asked confued to the small girls suddeny and _physical_ change in demenor. She knows that love makes fools of them all and that she shoould be patein wewpiclly with someon so young an-

" _Because she's a bitch that's why,"_ Ruby said as the girls gaked.

Time stopped, the fires stopped, the _world_ stopped as Both Hino and Mika apt loudly, and Krix raised an eyebrow. Did... Did Ruby Rose just call somebody bitch!?

Hino thought as everything she knew or thought she knew about the small kind girl and she couldn't even think of somebody in a nonpositive manner but not only did she clearly think little of another she even vocalized it!?

" Why do you say that?" Hino asked n her calmest voice possible as Ruby sighed explosively.

"Because she _is_. She _thinks_ she was helping Jaune to get better, but she really wasn't. She was trying to get Jaune to be another her. Only teaching him _one_ fighting style and still have the _gall_ to be surprised when he kept losing arena fights. Even if they were _not_ Bastion fight losing still sucks."

" Even if he keeps his life she _never_ changed her teaching style. She just kept teaching him the same moves over and over again like she was possessed."

 _"The definition of insanity is-_

 _"Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result._ " Ruby finished Hino's sentence as she kept talking.

"You see at first I thought she was _just_ a bad teacher. But as time when on I saw what she was _really_ after."

"And that was?"

"You see in context she _was_ helping Jaune to get better, but in reality, she was doing the _exact_ opposite. Sure she was trying to make him able to not die in the _first_ thirty seconds of a fight but more than that she was making him _dependant_ on her. She wanted to make Jaune _constantly_ rely on her for protection."

"Jaune's partner was _not_ the most socially apt person in the world and coming from _me_ that _is_ saying something. And even if she _might_ have been the _strongest_ in Beacon when it came to making friends she was downright terrible. So upon meeting Jaune the first person to treat her like normal, she grew _attached."_

"Like a postcard?" Mika asked trying to get Ruby to smile, but Ruby instead grimaced and ground her teeth.

 _"Like a leech._ " Ruby spat as spat onto the ground as she glared into the small dying fire.

"We all saw it. The little things the way she looked in his direction when he came into a room. The way she turned his head and _hung_ off his every word. The worried looks she got whenever he was in the _slightest_ amount of danger. The sheer _venom_ in her eyes when she glared at others when another girl so much as _bumped_ into him in the hallways." Ruby said with a grimace shaking her head causing her fake eye to retreat into her skull as she kept talking.

"At _first_ I was _not_ angry at her. We liked the same boy, but that was no reason we could not be friends right? Wrong."

"After the issue at the forever falls where Jaune was _severely_ injured fighting an Ursa. She talked to me, and I learned something about her."

"I learned she was _scared._ She was scared of Jaune getting hurt scare to lose her partner and friends. At first, there was nothing wrong with this I did not want Jaune to die either, but then she _kept_ talking, and I saw something in her. She was complaining not about Jaune getting injured but about his _new_ fighting style and how she had _no_ idea where he had learned it and wished he would _stop_ using it."

"After our _talk_ , I was still in the blue about her. She gave me some hints as to what I now know but nothing concrete. That was until Jaune came to _me_ to get better. We started sparing in our free time and in _two_ weeks he went from getting the pants beat off of him and _barely_ hanging in there to consistently _winning_ arena fights. He got _better._ He started to _win_ he started to _excel._ And when I looked to his team to see there cheering faces I saw his team shouting his name waving a banner all overjoyed at his progress. All of them but _one_ that is."

"They were all _ecstatic_ about their leaders progress. All but _one._ His _partner_ I still remember that _look_ she had on her face. While her friends faces shone as they shouted and cheered and support her face had a look of such _fear,_ anger and _sheer hatred_ in her face that I swore she was seeing a different reality than us. It was as if I was seeing into a mirror that reflected the ugliest parts of somebodies personality. I soo found out that I was not staring into a mirror but looking at her _real self_."

" You see she looked as Jaune's victories like they were the end of the world and I soon found out _why."_

"She was scared. She was terrified that the only person to treat her like a normal person would get better learn to fight and leaver her. So she stifled his training purposely. Never enough to be noticed and just enough improvement as to not arouse suspicion, but she was _sabotaging_ him on purpose. And when _my_ training paid off. "

"It happened one night on the Beacon roof. I came to see Jaune for our nightly training only to see him and his partner _yelling_ at each other. Normally this _never_ happened Jaune is _far_ submissive to really yell at his partner and her too apologetic to argue. So them yelling was highly unusual until I found out what they were arguing about, it was _me."_

"Why were they arguing about you?" Krix asked propped up on her knees as he pink eyes were reflected sharpen in the orange-red glow as Ruby gave her a mournful look.

"Remeber how I told you that I knew she was sabatoging him? Well on that night I found out for sure that she _was_ indeed sabatoging him. I heard from the far end of hte wall that Jaun ehad tld pyrrha how he beed getting training frm me and she _lost it._ "

"She exploded demanidng that Jaune immeidently stops his training. That he cut all ties ot me outside of calss and that if he didn't, she woul not only stop being his freind she would tell Ozpin about something. Whatever it was I had no idea, but it made Jaune go pale as she yelled at him."

"After that Jaune left looking like a ghost, and I finally had enough. I waited until he left a crying partner on the roof as I confronted her. I asked her with the hell was wrong with her!? I asked why in the world she would have him _refuse_ training that was making him better? I mean didn't she want to see him improve to see him excel and do better? The answer a resounding _no_."

"As it turns out she did _not_ want to see him get better. She did _not_ want him to improve not at all. She _still_ thought of Jaune as _weak_. She still saw him aw a _weakling_ unable to defend himself. One whom she needed to constantly protect and coddle like he was a damned child. I hated her for that. I yelled. I yelled so loudly it through my throat would go raw."

" I shouted at her, telling her that he was getting better. That my training was working and how could she possibly think he was too weak to succeed?"

"And even then she denied it. She said he was far to reckless for his own good. That making him improve to much to fast would only lead to disaster, and I would only lead to him getting himself and others hurt or worse.'

" She screamed at _me_ telling me _I_ was hurting him. Can you believe that?! Me?! His _best friend_ was trying to hurt him by making him better!? I didn't I called her out."

"I told her she was just jealous. That Jaune was getting better, and there was nothing that she could do about it. That Jaune would only continue to grow and improve, and soon he would no even need her."

" That she _would_ be left behind by him. And she agreed. She broke down and told me how she _loved_ him and that she couldn't bare the thought of him leaving her behind!"

"She clearly did _not_ know him very thoroughly," Hino said shaking her head in a disapproving manner as Mika nodded.

"I got to agree. If she _thinks_ for even a _second_ that Jaune would _ever_ abandon her or anybody really she is a _fool_." Mika added in a sharp tone as Ruby nodded.

"I told her as much. I told her how much I pitted her and that how I _also_ liked Jaune. I told her that soon me and him would be together and she _would_ be the one left behind. I left her crying alone on the roof waiting for the next day when _I_ would confess to Jaune. I had it all plane doubt it would be after class under the tress of the Beacon courtyard. I would confess to him he would say yes and would live happily after. Then she _stole_ him from me."

" It was all _me._ It was _my_ hard work that led to he results of his winning, it was _my_ efforts that led t him _finally_ succeding and you know what I got in return? What happened form all my efforts came to pass you know what happened? She stole him from me. She took him in front of the whole damned class and I lost him... I lost him _forever..."_

"Why is that? Are you giving up on him?" Hino asked both eyes open in a confused manner. As she eyed Ruby inquisitively. Cocking her headto her right in a manner that reminded Ruby far too much of a certain blonde brawler who she missed with all of her heart and would do anything to see again.

"Yeah. He already has a girlfriend. What else could I do?"

"You can _figh_ t for him. Just because he is dating somebody today does _not_ mean he will be eating them tomorrow." Hino said as Mika nodded her head.

"She's right Ruby. You can't just give up on him because he's' with somebody else! You got to get in there and win him back! You need to fight for your man! Show him what he's midding and what he has to _gain!_ "

Mika said giving her an empathetic grin as she pumped her arm in the air. " _Never give up! Never surrender!_ I mean if we gave up just because someone we loved was not interested in us or in a committed relationship with another we would never get anywhere! I mean look at Hino and Kage! She loves him and refuses to give up on him!" Mika said proudly as Ruby turned to Hino who glared at Mika in return.

"Hino…. What _is_ your relationship with Kage?" Ruby asked the girl raised her head in an instant.

 _"I love him_ ," Hino said simply and with such force that it made Ruby blush.

"You love him? Then why aren't you together with him?"

"Because Kage is…. He is _complicated_. He _doesn't_ want a _traditional_ relationship and he is _not_ prone to a _traditional_ romance of _any_ sort so dating him is…. _Difficult. To say the least"_

"But you _do_ love him, right? Shouldn't you pursue him no matter the cost?"

"I do… I haven't; given up on him in five years."

"You've known him for five years?"

"We were in the army Vacuoan fourth division. We fought together for a time, and I just fell. Hard. He had a fire in his eyes then that refuse to go out, and I loved that." Hino admitted Ruby bowed her head.

"Um, Hino I don't want to sound rude but…  
"But?"  
" _How… how_ do you love Kage?" Ruby asked eating the icy look she was fed by Hino as she went on.  
"I'm _no_ t saying that you c _an't_ love him! It's just...

" _Just. What_?"

 _"Why!?_ I mean what has he done to make you love him?"

"He's nice. We fought together. He gives me gifts from time to time. I think he's cute."

"Gifts? Like what?"

"Like _these_. My boots are a gift from Kage he made them _himself_ and _personally_ gave them to me after I finished training him in hand to hand combat. They are very special boots.

" Is there any other question of why I would not date him?"

"It's just Kage doesn't seem very expressive! It's like he was the emotional capability of a brick! I just don't see how you could find anyone like that attractive!" Ruby shouted making Hino nod her head and give a deep sigh.  
"You have never seen Kage fight. Ruby may look dead to the world but trust me when he's in a real battle he comes alive. And there's nothing like it."

"What do you mean? I have seen him fight. He fights like a _machine!"_

"That's my _point._ You have seen Kage be _efficient_. You have _never_ seen him in a _fight._ Let me tell you a story, Ruby." Hino said as she put one arm smiled as she smiled at her younger friend.

* * *

 _Fire. Pain. Blood. Glory._ That was all Hino could think about as she brought down the rules but to its face. The Grimm snarled at her in anger as it roared in pain as the but of her _GK9_ smashes into its teeth shattering the pearly white objects and making the monster howled in pain. Hino was on fire!

Not literally well _yes_ literally but she was alive! Her veins sang as her heart pumped searing blood into her body as the Grimm fell backward bleeding profusely from its snout as she leaped on it.

As the Ursa fell back, she never let up as the lifter her stock rifle before slamming it against the monsters south. Slapping hard against its flesh and bone plate as metal met bone and muscle. _WHAP!_  
 _WHAP_!  
Her rifle stuck, again and again, the beast snout. Making it cry in pain and anger as she blew its jat line. The things head disintegrated in a mess of pulp and brains before it finally began crumbling. As she looked to her right, the world was a vision of hell.

The fourth division had been called to quell a Grimm incursion on a nearby village on the border of Vacuo, and it was a massacre. By the time they arrived the Grimm had slaughtered half the villagers. Men women children it mattered not to the things. As they arrived guns baling only to be overwhelmed by the monsters themselves. As the battle-ravaged, their unit had already lost half of their number as two hundred men, and women laid ripped apart in various piles of meat and bone on the ground.

She reloaded her rifle before she saw him.

 _Venk kage._ Her heart thumped as it skipped a beat. He was glorious. He was currently before smacked backways by a massive bengriel that was attempting to disembowel him. As the monster leaped at him, Kage howled in anger as he fired at it. For some reason, the boy had gotten it into his head that firing a shotgun in one hand and an assault rifle in the other was the most efficient way to kill the monstrosity, as he and the Bengal fell into an help of bullets shrapnel and blood.

"It was _glorious!_ Seeing him fight with that passion, that skill! I just wanted him to take me rip off my-

* * *

 _"Hino!?_ " Ruby suddenly asked blushing fiercely as the calm woman shared a rare moment of embarrassment at her story as Mika chuckled at her.

" _Easy_ there Hino. We both know Kage isn't the type to rip the clothes off of a woman know you know right?" Mika asked causing the girl to blush brightly before Ruby spoke.

"Mika? Don't you love Kage as well?: Ruby asked suddenly forgetting her words and the tension they _might_ cause.

"Of course I do! He is my one true love! And one day I'm going to break past that damned shell of his and make him my own!" Mika admitted cheerfully as Ruby blushed at her candor.

Not wanting to make any ward tensions with the group Ruby turned to the _fully_ aroused Krix who was staring at them with a bored expression in her pink eyes.

 _"Krix!_ Anything special about you!?" Ruby asked trying desperately to keep the fragile peace in the room.

"Not really. I'm just an **R** class student. Like any other **R** class student."

 **"R** class? So you have mental issues?" Ruby asked before slapping her head at her comment.

"Yup. I have _some_ types of schizophrenia, along with _other_ issues. That makes day to day life without medication… _uncomfortable."_  
Krix said as Ruby squirmed uncomfortably in her seat already regretting this conversation.

"How bad is it?"

"I need to take the equivalent of three pills a day every day. One every eight hours. The pills normally make me have bad headaches and occasionally body paralysis but If I don't take them things get _bad.."_

"How bad?"

"Well at first I get happy. _Really, really happy._ Then I get _anxious_. Then I start talking to myself. I tend to wander around aimlessly for minutes, hours or even days on end babbling incoherent nonsense without seeing to my most basic needs."  
" I won't bathe, sleep, eat, or use the lavatory. And I just bad for that period. That's only if I am left alone and assuming no one tries to interrupt me."

"What if they do try?"

"I get violent. Very violent. I apparently like to stab people and don't know when to stop."

"Is there a cure for schizophrenia?" Ruby asked hopefully as Krix shook her head.

"No. Well, at least not my kind. The only way I get to still be a huntress is the collar on my neck. It injects chemicals into me at regular intervals and in such doses that combat my illness but not enough to cause me any ill effects. It's the best thing to ever happen to me."

"But just because you have a mental illness doesn't mean you should not be a regular huntress! What happened to you before Bastion?"

"Before I was studying at Shade Academy and I had no idea about my condition. It was in my second year in Shade that I figured it out in a less than pleasant way, and I was forced to tell my team. They were very supportive and told me they wouldn't change how they treated me. And for a while, they didn't. And everything was back to normal I was a regular team leader like any other team leader. Then one day I ran out of my medicine on a mission."

"And?"

"I killed them," Krix said in a calm voice a violent tremor ran past her hands.

"I Stabbed them all in their beds and murdered them while they slept. When they found me, I was wandering the forest covered in their blood and other things before being taken away. After my actions, the trail would have put me into a mental ward for the rest of my life until _Ludo_ himself came into my courtroom as a lawyer and made me an offer I _couldn't_ refuse."

"He told you to come to Bastion?"

" _Exactly._ He said that I had _great potential_ and that he couldn't' no wouldn't let such a gift go to waste and asked me If I still wanted to be a huntress. I said yes. And the rest is _history._ Now If you excuse me I'm gon get some sleep before we all die tomorrow. I suggest you all do the same." Krix said before turning over in her bed and beginning to snore.

I might die?Ruby thought as an old hand gripped her chest. It was hypocritical to the extreme for Ruby Rose of all people to be afraid of being killed. She had a body count in the upper double digits and _still_ climbing after all, and this was no different. But state she did not want to die.

"Don't worry Ruby. I promised Kage I wouldn't let anything happened to you." Mika said as she put a supportive arm around Ruby's shoulder as her paperwhite skin was reflected in the firelight frantic it an eerie glow as it did.

"Thanks, Mika I feel better for it," Ruby admitted before Hino spoke up.

"I can sense your fear. You have nothing to fear Rose. I will make sure you see tomorrow."

Hino said calmly before clapping her hands.

"Tomorrow we _shall_ be victorious! It has already been spoken!" She said in a stern voice as smiled openly.

 _'Here we go._ " Mika said sarcastically as she laid back down into her sleeping bag which was little more than a loosely stitched together amalgamation of old white fang flags and cloth.

"You just got her started!" Mika said as Hino cracked her massive hands before speaking.

"Ruby, do you feel lost?"

"Yes?"

"Do you feel like your life has lost all direction? Like you are wandering _without_ a purpose?"

"Kind of, why are you asking me this?"

"Because If you're feeling lost like you have no purpose like there's no hope left, then I have come to _save you."_

"Save me? _How?_ " Ruby asked the girl's claiming smile came to her face.

"Ruby let me ask you a question have you ever heard of the light? And the one true prophet?" Hino asked as Mika groaned.

"Oh great! You just got the religious person to talk _about_ religion. I swear she's _worse_ than Kage about this!" Mika groaned as Ruby look confess to the girl.

"Kage is religious? I've never seen him pray."

"That's because Kage speaks to the light in his _own_ way," Hino said ber sliding over to Ruby.

"Now sit while I speak to you of _the truth."_ Hino said as Ruby slid over to her resting her small hear on one of her massive biceps as the taller girl began to _speak._

* * *

"Well, this is going to be a great way to die!" Krix said as she and Mika began to stretch their arms. It was exactly nine am in the morning, and the plan was about to begin. Early this morning their orders from the Death Korps commanders had changed. They were now to find and exterminate any white fang in the immediate vanity of the are of operations than to return to base for a rendezvous for extraction.

In another positive turn of fate, their mission was made significantly less complicated by the fining of a more up to date blueprints of the base. The current underground is split into three sections both with a control center they would need to access to get to open the emergency release switch and evacuate to the top of the fight.

To be honest, it was sheer _luck_ that the central switch needed to be flicked first and that only the other two needed to be switched simultaneously as this meant they would need to split their firepower in half instead of a quarter and three fourths.

"Ok, you know the plan! We fight our way to the control rooms and starting at nine twenty! Exactly! We start flipping the switches if we fail to open we will repeat this process every two minutes until we are successful! Any question?" Krix asked as her weapon snow firmly in assault rifle from as the girls nodded no.

"Well let's go," Krix said as the group split up. It was decided then the two groups would be comprised of Krix and Mika and Ruby and Hino as they split up.

Hino had destroyed their entrance from earlier using her drills making it so that no white fang could come in and surprise them from behind. It does make the unable to retreat as they could not afford to cave in the tunnels leading to the release switches for any reason. As the girls said, their final good by their real fight began.

* * *

 _I'm sorry!_ Hino thought as she punched forward with her drill turning a skull to red pul as she killed the first Fang members to oppose her. There was over two dozen fang in the hallway, and that number was only growing. As she shifted her weight to one massive leg and swung one of her drills to the right grating an another skull to red pulp smashing his body against the wall with a messy thunk. As she was once again covered in fresh blood.

As the fang fourth she moved like a glacier. Slow but implacable her ever stop careful thought out and consider as she smashed body's to blood smears and ground limbs into bloody past Hino felt such a severe and profound sense of sadness she was almost brought to tears.

This is so depressing! Hino thought as she brutalized the fang members. Turn body parts into macabre red streamers of flesh and bone, rendering faces and bodies into _unrecognizable_ jumbles of cartilage.

As she killed the fang, she felt herself nearly burst out in tears at the injustice of her action. Unlike most people, Hino did not hate the white fang. In fact, she loved them. Like she loved all of the beings of the light. She did not view the fang as mad or evil but merely misguided. They had never heard the word of the light or the one true prophet bless his name so how could they know to act any better?

And to send them howling to their deaths before they could even taste his word? It was a blasphemy so perverse that she had already resigned herself to _over_ a hundred prayer of redemption father the fight was over to attempt to make up to the light for _denying_ it of its children on earth.

As another drill stuck a chin as her drills ruined his face and turning the white tunnel walls into a watercolor canvas his head was ripped off from his shoulders earning a bone-chilling crush.

Before being ground down into nothing Hino resigned herself that this fight was a necessity for completing her mission and that the light took all life when they died, so there was no real harm in the killing. As she fought, she saw something that caught her interest.

There. Hino thought as she spied down the hallway as several white fang operatives were unloading an overly large and complicated piece of machinery. From over here, it was clear that in was a gun emplacement.

"Can't have that," Hino said calmly after pulping another Fang member before aiming her gauntlets and clicking her feet.

 _SHINK!_

The sound of metal filled the air as several metal stakes emerge form her boots as she was yanked from the ground.

* * *

Hino loved this feeling. The feeling of air blowing past her face and the shocked faces of the fang members as she was suddenly yanked off of her feet and was suddenly flying over their heads. As he grasped hooked right on the guns emplacement, Hino clicked a button on her gauntlets as it shot the fang.

Several dozens you shot into the gun crew of the weapon as two out of three glowed bright blue.

Excellent the pellets were a great invention for Bastion students. Pellets were a term for a weapon that shot several ultrasonic dust rounds at you. While not harmful in any real way the would still trigger your aura if they struck you showing her who did and who did not have their aura unlocked as a grin came to her face as she slammed her boots into the aura locked gunner making him gak as twelve steel stakes entered into his chest while she simultaneously slammed her gauntlets into the remaining crew and crushed their faces into pulp before falling forward.

 _Instantly_ the fang panicked. Seeing two of their members getting their heads pue as watch as the figure later ripped their comrade's torso in half as she moved her feet. Revealing several grisly steel spikes before she clicked her gauntlet first a string of pellets fired off as she lept into them.

* * *

Ruby was having a _good_ day. As she ducked backward slashed once taking a leg from a man and striking the aura of another as an electric current filled her legs. Yes. Ruby thought as she ducked backward and fired her rifle twice killing once and injured another as she jumped forward.

After the debacle of the tunnel fight against the Cackler horde, Ruby had been drilled constantly by kage in CQC combat techniques. Saying that she either needed to learn how to fight with her weapon in closed environments or she needed a new weapon.

And since Ruby outright refused to use any other weapon but Crescent Rose she learned how to fight with it.

 **: Enemy to the left. Move back ten feet. Slash. Fire. Jump three yards to the left. We are doing well. Good work**

Her eye _said_ to her displaying an alarmingly level of consciousness that Ruby was determined to have Felicia look at as _soon_ as she got back to Bastion but until then she needs to _first_ survive and the three dozen or so white fang in front of her were going to make her _work_ for it.

 _Slash forward. Jump back. Slash to the left. Jump to your fight. Fire twice jump back. Rinse wash repeat._ Ruby thought as she repeated her silent mantra as she began reaping a bloody tally amongst the fang. As she sliced into bone her body gave a _jolt_ an she felt it coming back to her.

It was a different sense of electricity than an arena fight. Where her body was alive with passion no this time, it was more _dull_ and composed. Hino had spent all night lecturing her about the _light._ And how all she needed to do was open up as a whole and admit she was but a _part_ of something far greater then herself and _all_ of her worries would _disappear._

At first, Ruby had been skeptical but after an hour or two of conversation, Ruby was _finally_ seeing the bigger picture. She was put part of a larger entity a growing living thing that needed her as she needed it. _With out the light she was nothing, without her the light was nothing._ It felt good t be apar of something like that and killing had started to feel good again too!

It still felt good and was nothing like the _anarchy_ of the charge across the badlands but still it was a nice feeling. As she fought her way across the hall ignoring the piles upon piles l of messy flesh that Hino had left behind as she butchered her way to the end of the hallway as Ruby finally meet up with the girl who was doing a perfect backflip ripping the torso off of fang member with her _boots?!_

Before she ducked backward at girl exchanging an quick glance amongst the others as they charged the finals door to the command center. There was a flash of light before they burst down the door at the far end of the tunnel revealing a room full of dials, knobs, fang, and guns.

* * *

"Well! _We did it!_ " Mika said happily as she began the delicate and time-consuming process of adding to her fur she began to skin the ears of an antelope faunus girl of some type Krix _spat_ in disgust.

"You really are a psychopath you know that?" She asked with plain disgust as Mika shrugged her shoulders.

"I've been told that before you know?"

"Anyone ever tells you your it insane and should be _put down like a dog?'_  
Krix asked as Mike stopped her stomach voiding habit as she flashed Krix an enigmatic smile.

"Anyone ever told you that you _sound like a bitch?"_ Mika asked flashing her a sharp smile as she fluttered her emerald eyes at the girl as Krix glared at her.

"If we didn't need to work together I would have killed you long ago. And do the world at large a favor."

"Tried. You mean you would have tried to kill me. Like so many others and when you failed you would spend the rest of you admittedly short life running from Kage who you would pray to your gods that he finds you first os your death would at least be quick or me. Because If I find your first that's when the real games begin!" Mika said happily as Krix spat on the ground.

"I should put you down."

"Do it," Mika said as she slashed her way down the fauns animal parts Krix growled raised her rifle and _fired._  
 _BANG!_ Krix fired the weapon once putting a pink bolt right through Mika's head entering her skull and _blowing out_ her brains as the girl sailed backyard before collapsing into a bloody pile firelight the end of the command center…..

* * *

 **AN: Well there we go! Another Bastion chapter done and done! I'll be honest I did not see me giving Ruby that character development when I first started this chapter but it came to me and I like it so it stays. I got the idea form when Ruby was talking to Ozpin about how she lost people she loved and I was like did you really have a close relations ship to Pyrrha? Like did the talk in the show? Really? We never really get to see Ruby notlike people espically peopleThe next one should come out sooner then this so don't worry!**

 **Jaune torchwick is next if you follow me so until then happy holidays!**


	16. Pillar one She comes and goes

**_AN. Here we go! Another Bastion chapter hot off the press! This one wraps up the latest Bastion Arc as the girl meet up with boys in one pice. More or less. Emphasis on the less..._**

 ** _After this, the story goes into its next point so see you then and thanks for reading._**

 ** _Enjoy_**

* * *

 _BANG!_  
The door to the White Fang command center blew open in a ball of fire as Ruby sprinted forward only to be met by a solid lead wall of bullets impacted Ruby sending her spiraling downward. _"AH!"_ Ruby cried out in pain as her aura flared up as she screamed in pain as bright azure flashes filled the air with her aura absorbed the first line of bullets protecting her body from being blasted into minced meat. Making her cry in pain as she was sent spiraling downward crying as she hit and slid on the grated metal decks of the command center.

 _"Ruby!_ Keep your head down!" Hino said as the sound of shirring drill filled the air followed by the _FISHT!_ Of a cable firing then the horrible sound of tearing bone and flesh as a drill found it targets making a disgusting grinding gurgling sound that put Ruby's teeth on edge.

"OW!" Ruby shouted as she checked her wound while laying on the cold grated metal flooring of the command center as the cacophony of flying pullets dying faunus screams and the whirring of bullets filled the air drawing out her cries as she checked her arms chest and leg. It took less than a second to see that they were all hurt. _Badly_.

Even with her aura unlocked there was already dark black almost _purple_ bruises formed on her skin. WIth ugly lumps building under them where the solid rounds hit her sending her spiraling.

 **You've suffered superficial injuries. You will survive. Keep your wits about you.**

Her eye _said_ as Ruby grimaced in pain as the eye's painted crimson the world as it seemed to explode in sensory data. Her eye was having field day analysis and decoding all the errant streams of data and random bits of information. From computer terminals, data logs and just the general bedlam of the surrounding close quarter's brawl. As Ruby took a deep breath wincing pain as it felt like someone had just stabbed a long knife into her lungs as she grits her teeth drawing Crescent Rose to her chest before popping up from behind the terminal.

 _BANG!_  
Ruby fired Crescent Rose three times. Each shot hitting a fang member square in the head. Out of three shot only _twice_ was she awarded with the messy sounds of a skull being pulped by a high caliber dust bullet as one fang members aura saved his life as instead of dying of a bullet he went spiraling downward onto the metal floor in a tangle of limbs.

"Damn it!" Ruby hissed as she deck behind the metal terminal avoiding the hail of return fire from the surviving faunus terrorist as-

 _WHAM!_  
The towering form of Hino dropping right next to Ruby her drills a whirring bloody mess. The massive brow thing where steaming piles of fresh pink vapor as they were smothered in reds white and pink as Hino pretty flawless brown skin and pasted from was marred by blood and viscera.

"Hey, Ruby. How are you?" Hino asked in a calming voice as the two girls huddled from the suppressing fire from the faunus.

"I'm ok Hino I jus-

 _Fit! Fit! Fit!_

Three separate bullets shot right past their corner one nearly taking Ruby's _other_ eye out as the girl yelped and Hino sighed in frustration before popping out of the cover. _Fisht!_

Ruby hear the sound of a cable firing, but instead of Hino flying away, there was a rough grunt form, Hino, as she bent her impressive legs and grunted as the sound of a screaming man enters her ears.  
 **WHAP!**  
There was a loud whap! Sound as a man suddenly appeared in front of Ruby. He was tall faunus man with animal ears of some type who was struggling to get out as a large black cable was lodged in his chest and-

 _VIRAT!_

Whatever the man was trying to do was proved pointless as Hino rammed one of her drills right into the man's chest breaking apart his chest cavity causing an opulent shower of blood and bones to fill the air as the monstrous weapon eviscerated his chest cavity dripping blood from bones and tearing flesh from the skin.

It was like watching a horror movie for the girl as the drill began to twist with such speeds that the man's body as blood bones and guts flew everywhere painting the young reaper in gore before Hino ripped her drill out of the man's chest with an awful wet _CHLP!_ Sound before delivering a terrible wet curb dump to his face with her spiked metal shoes crashing his face into a bloody pulp before tossing his body like a rag doll over the terminal into his comrades.

Who even during the cacophony of battle, Ruby heard their horrid screams at the emaciated desecrated remains of their comrade as Hino slid back down pieces of stomach lining as blood and what looked like a full half _lung_ hanging freely from her bloodstained but the otherwise _flawless_ face.

"What were you saying?" Hino asked calmly as Ruby _nearly_ lost it.

* * *

"This is Ridiculous! Why are _we_ stuck underground fight Oum knows how many terrorists, and it's' just the two of us!" Ruby yelled popping out of cover firing three times this time she made sure to double tap any faunus with an aura sending him flying back in a shower of blood.

"Is every Bastion mission this insane!?"

" No. And this Mission are fairly tame all things considered." Hino answer in her completely out of place but _oddly_ soothing voice as Ruby blinked owlishly at her.

"You… You don't mind the. Chaos!?"

The young girl asked incredulously as bullets ripped into tier cover making them swear as Ruby panted four more shots into the fang gunners keeping them down.

"Ruby I've been in Bastion a _lot_ longer than you and have had to see a lot worse than this. Plus this is by far the least crazy thing I have to deal with on a day to day basis. If you want to see crazy, you need to talk to my _partner!"_

Hino gritted after nodding to Ruby as the two girls popped out of cover.

 _"Zach?_ What's so crazy about him? I mean he seems like a jerk, but otherwise, he seems sane."

Ruby said in a pained grimace as even after all her time in Bastion Ruby Rose _still_ had issues speaking anything but well of others. _Besides_ Pyrrha that is.

Ruby rose up firing freely into retreating line of Fang soldiers putting a sniper rounds into the as Himno drug anyone to close to her drills and obliteration turning them into red, pink chunks with her drill as she sighed heavily.

"I admit he is a bit… _insensitive_ when it comes to others feeling. But that's _not_ what makes a living with him maddening."

Hino said before lazily backhanding a rushing fanged man as a full half of his face came off with a spray of meat before pausing and slamming her drill into the top a woman's skull annihilating it a brutal _pop_ of offal as her head simply ceased to exist. She kicked the body into another faunus knocking them both back as the two girls took cover behind another one of the dozens or so four foo high computer terminals that filled out the entire room as the fang returned fire on them

"So what's so bad about him?" Ruby and his bullets rained all around her as Hino peeked over the corner of their cover.

"It's his _damned_ semblance!"

Hino shouted as bullets and fire raining behind her.

"He has a semblance?"

 _FIT! FIT!_ Bullets struck and _pinged_ all around them as the girls drew their legs closer together as they peaked out behind their _rapidly_ disintegrating cover.

"A damned annoying one too!

"What is it?!"

"He can make you see things!"

"He can make you _hallucinate!?"_

"Yes! But the _only_ thing you already know to exist! He can't make you see things that you have knowledge or context that are unfamiliar to you!"

"He also needs to maintain eye contact when doing so! If he looks away from you for even and second the image _will_ fail!"

Hino gritted out as ducked another fusillade of bullets as Ruby fired blindly over the top of their cover _Crescent Rose_ bucking wildly as she blind fired into the fang using her eye to target them as it should roughly tell their position and if judging from the sound of the screaming she _was_ getting kills.

"Well that sounds annoying but what makes it crazy? I mean does he use it on you?"

"Not really. He mainly uses it to get laid. Say things to impress girls and makes them think they are getting damn dynamo!"

"That sounds... _bad?"_

"Yeah well it's only the _second_ worst thing about him, so I guess that's ok."

"The second? What the first?' Ruby said as she reloaded her weapon tossing her spent magazine to the ground with a loud _Clack!_ As Hino sighed in frustration wiping off a layer of blood from her face rival her light pretty in Ruby's opinion calming brown eyes as she stared the young girl.

"It's his _powerpoint_ ," Hino said looking idea into Ruby soul as the girl blinked owlishly at her.

"His… _powerpoint?"_ Ruby asked not sure she heard her right the first time. As the girl's steady brown eyes stared into her silver ones. Surely she didn't say his-

"It's his _powerpoint,"_ Hino said once aging and confirmed her suspicions and answer one question but raising a thousand others.

"What so bad about his powerpoint?" Ruby asked unable to fathom why something as simple as powerpoint presentation could be so bad that it would be maddening.

"It's…. It's a powerpoint on why women are not people."

Hino said as Ruby gaked loudly.

"What?! The sounds ridiculous! Why would he have that?"

"Because he _doesn't_ think that women are people."

"That's stupid! Why don't; you tell him off about it!?"

"Because…."

"Because?"

"Because it's a _really_ well-made powerpoint," Hino admitted sheepishly causing Ruby too once again blink owlishly at her.

 _"What?'_ Was all the young girl managed to say before Hino cursed and prepared herself to have this conversation again...

"It's… A _very_ well made and put together powerpoint on why women aren't people and it has some..

Hinot stopped a loud choking sound emerged from her throat, "strong points."

"Strong...strong points."

Hino made a sound somewhere between a gag and choke as she fought to speak.

"Strong points."

"Valid...strong points."

She sounded like she was pulling teeth as her face contorted in physical pain.

"Strong points."

"It has some _strong_ points."

"You _are_ joking right?"

"I wish I was…."

"Bu _t you're_ a woman!"

"I know! I know! It's just... god _dammit_ Zach! Why do you make such a good powerpoint!?"

Hino asked cursing loud, and Ruby looked dumbstruck at her before going.

"Wait! It's just his semblance he's not really-

"No, The powerpoint _is_ real. It is _not_ his semblance." Hino admitted making Ruby's jaw drop.

"It's real...? How _good_ is it?

' _Unnaturally_ good."

"That sounds….

" I know how it sounds and believes me I _wish_ it was his semblance but it's not! He likes to _tell_ people that it is after presenting them with it to make them feel better. So they can agree with him only for him to reveal at a later date that it actually _is_ real and they agreed with him the whole time of their own accord that women are not people."

"That...That… That sound like a _dick_ _move_."

 _Ruby_ said as Hino nodded sagely to her.

"It is. But enough talk about that! Let's get moving we have ten minutes till nine!" Hino said as she and Ruby flipped out of cover and into the fray.

* * *

 _"One. Two Three!"_ Ruby said as she cut limbs from bodies, and blasting skills into red pull as she fought her way through the command center painting a bloody canvas of macabre murals in the ways of spattering blood sliced bones and free body parts.

One two. _FISHH!_

The all too familiar sound of a _flamethrowers_ pilot light filled the air as Ruby gasped in anticipation.

" _Mika?!"_ Ruby asked turning around only to pause in fear as there was indeed aflame throw but it was not Chamberlain, and it wasn't Mika holding it but a large man in a grim mask, holding a black nozzle with twin black horses running to twin large grey tubes on his back.  
 _"Want a light?"_ The man asked in a deep throaty tone as he pulled the trigger and the world exploded into flames.

* * *

 **Stop. Drop. Roll!**

Ruby's eye told her as she felt like she is going to die.

"AHHH! It Hurts! _It burns! It burst! It burns!"_ Ruby yelled as she slammed on to the floor with force a comet. The flames from the man had thoroughly soaked her body covering her entire form in roaring flames. As the flames spread over her body she felt like she was covered in a _million tiny mouths_ each filled with razor-sharp teeth were _biting_ into her flesh with reckless abandon and where eating her alive all over her body while she was being forced through an inferno and even with her aura she was in agony, she had not known even existed in her _admittedly_ brief lifetime

" _Stop! Drop! Roll!"_ Ruby yelled at the top of her lungs as she hit the floor hard making her semblance work double time as she put out the fires around her body. Luckily her aura stopped any lasting damage though she was now covered in scorch marks, through her flesh was more or less intact the real damage that had been down to the girl was her _outfit…._

 _"My cape!?"_ Ruby cried as tears fell freely from her eyes as her cape a gift from her own mother before she became a huntress in training and quite possibly the _last_ physical trace of her home life outside of Bastion was now badly burned as her vision filled with hot tears as she clutched her cape in both hands.  
"My ca-  
 _FSHT!_  
A bullet nearly blew her face off as the man from earlier, the faunus who did _not_ die in her first salvo appeared.  
"Stay still!"

The fox faunus barked as Ruby growled at him launching herself forward towards him in a blur of rose petals.  
 **Thunk!** Crescent Rose tore into the metal around the man as he yelped shock before grinning at her.

"You _missed!"_ He shouted before Ruby smirked as she flicked a button on her scythe.  
 _FSHT!_  
The scythe collapsed _backward_ taking off the mans leg in a flash of silver. The faunus screamed aloud as his left leg was neatly severed from his body flying through the air in a cloud of crimson before Ruby dashed forward.  
 _Thunk!_ She stabbed the scythe part of _Crescent Rose_ right into the man's chest killing him instantly as she huffed exhausted over his corpse

 **You have no aura left. Recommendation retreat.**

Her eye said an-  
Tink! Tink!

Whatever thoughts Ruby had were interrupted by two small _tinking!_ Sounds that filled the air as two black oval shaped objects rolled in from of her. They _looked_ like pears but-

 **Grenades!**

Her eye said as time stopped. It ebbed and flowed and ground to a crunching halt as Ruby felt her semblance kick into overdrive. Everything stopped. The sounds the fires the _pain_. Everything froze as Ruby pushed ever _last_ ounce of her power into her semblance. Rose petals filled the air as her small legs began pumping forward as her legs braced she _saw_ it happening. She saw the grenades break apart as a bright white light filled the air as she knew was too late.

 **No time! Shield your face!**

Her eye chimed in as Ruby began as she barrels rolled into a ball as a wave or rose petals filled the air as Ruby blocked her face raising her small arms up in a _cross_ pattern as the bombs went off less than _four feet_ from her position.  
 _BANG!_

* * *

The grenades exploded in a bright ball of fire and whirring shrapnel sending Ruby flying backward hit her head _bloodily_ against a metal wall with a messy _WHAP!_  
As she stuck the sharp end of a computer metal sliced into flesh making her balk in pain befree she began to cry in agony as she felt white hot pain shot through her limbs as she looked down to her arms and _screamed._

Ruby's scream shook the room she was what remained of her arms. _"My arms!?_ AHH!" Ruby yelled as she held the _broken, mangled_ limb _things_ that used to be her arms and _screamed_. Both arms had long jagged metal pieces running through them as while they had succeeded in blocking the shrapnel that would have undoubtedly struck her face as her arms defend her brain but in the process were instead skewered by several dozen pieces of jagged metal making Ruby cry in pain.

"My arms! My arms! My arms!" Ruby cried in pain as tried to have them only to gasp in shock as the white-hot pain returned as the scalding metal burned and charged her flesh as it mauled her already destroyed nerves and piercing her bone. To make matters worse the cross pattern had deflected the shrapnel with while successful had also had the unfortunate effect of having both of her arms be _pierced_ together as jagged pieces of shrapnel now held both of her arms in a macabre blood covered cross position had nearly fused her limbs together as she began to panic before her eye spoke.

 **Severe damage sustained to outer appendages. Nerve damage critical. Surgery required. Arm efficiency down seventy percent. Fracture skull found. Recommended action retreat.**

" Help me!" Ruby yelled aloud to her eye as she tried to move her arms only to be reminded painfully of her severed nerves and split bones. Her arms were _desecrated,_ well _beyond_ any medical knowledge the young girl had, and now she couldn't even hold _Crescent Rose!_

"I need to get help-  
AH!

Ruby yelped in agony as hot pain lanced through her body making her stand up only to lose her balance _instantly_ causing her to slam her head down bloodily on a computer terminal as she moaned in anguish.

"Oum pleas-  
 _FIT!_  
 _BOOM!_

Ruby's already pian soaked reality turned into _sheer anguish_ as a stray bullet hit the computer terminal causing it to explode _under_ her face sending the poor girl rocketing to the ground in a mass of limbs and tears.

* * *

 _"OW! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!_ Help me! Somebody! _Mom! Dad! Jaune! Weiss! Weiss! W-_

 _"Ruby!"_ Hino shouted leaping over the remaining terminals drills still revving and roaring giving a low throaty mechanical growl like some type of guard animal as she was still covered in gore and offal the after effects of her having killed the last Fang members and grimaced as she looked at her younger friend.

She was a _raw bleeding_ mess. Her arms were lacerated with grenade shrapnel, and they were near useless. Her prized sniper rifle hung limply on her side. As her face was burned with what was at an extremely conservative guess multiple second-degree burn marks as Hino revved her drills _VIRM! FIT!_

Hino broke of the shrapnel from the top and bottom of the girl before _tearing_ her limps apart allowing Ruby to use them in _some_ manner and succeeded in making her cry in anguish as Hino ripped the exposed metal from her limbs not wishing to rip out the shards and makes her bleed out faster. Making the girl cry out in suffering as Hino whispered into her ear.

"This _will_ hurt," Hino said as she unscrewed the small bottle of rubbing alcohol and poured it over Ruby wounds.

The girl _howled_ in torment as Hino forced her head still as she cleaned her wounds. Pouring the disinfecting agents on her head and arms grimacing as she did. Good. She didn't lose her other eye. But that scar is never going to heal. Hino thought as she saw the clock on her scroll ticking down and cursed at the top of her lungs before leaping to the command dial and slamming it with all her might only to sigh in relief as the screens glowed green as she hit the button in time.

"Come on Ruby we're _going home."_

Hino said softly slinging the girl over her shoulder as she cried and in pain as she slung one Crescent Rose over her shoulder and walked out of the room…

* * *

It was _well_ over a ten-minute climb to escape the bunker complex. As Hino began the long ascent of the damp cold metal ladder, Ruby had regained some semblance of her wits and was now trailing _slowly_ if not _steadily_ behind her whimpering pain making the older girl grimace. She's going to need surgery. Those arms are _gone_. Hinot thought darkly as they made their way up the ladder. Even if we get out of here how can she fight? If we have to make a push Ruby's in deep. Hino thought before another thought entered her mind.

Where are the others? Mika and Krix had as of yet remained unseen and unheard from They at least had triggered their side of the operation meaning that they _were_ alive at a point in time but ultimately leaving Hino to wonder about their whereabouts. She would have been worried about their safety, but that was _pointless_. Krix was to smart to be killed, and Mika was damned near _impossible_ to kill.

At least with _conventional_ means as the two girls finally reached the summit of their journey a large turning cover Hino grunted as she gripped the cover in her massive arms and began to _twist_.

If Hino thought that getting Ruby back to the surface would save the girl, she was swiftly proven wrong as she opened the escape hatch and was tossed into a fresh vision of hell…

* * *

As instead of rescue operation the girls were instead greeted with the harsh _Wump! Crack!_ Of Artillery shells followed by the rapid fire of bullets and rifles met closely by the screams of the dead and dying as the two found themselves right in the middle of a Death Korps attack. Before Hino could even think of running away and getting Ruby to a medic as an artillery shell hit too close to their position and sent both girls flying….

 _"I.. I. GAH!"_

Ruby gasped as consciousness found her again only for her to panic as her face being sucked into a dark wet pool of mud. Where am I!? What's happening?! What's going on?! Ruby thought as she was snow outside in the middle of a war zone. As all around her students were being ripped apart by artillery shells and blasted into tiny red pieces by machine gun fire as she began to panic truly.

"Help me! Help me!" Ruby cried out to anyone within earshot only for he pleas to fall on deaf ear. As the running students where with to preoccupied with not dying in the madness of the attack or simply busy being dead. As obliterated and desecrated corpsed piled up all around her. It was like some horrid vision of hell as Ruby fought to escape the muds ever growing ensnarement. As it drug her ever deeper into the cold, wet dead earth.

"Help me! Please!" Ruby yelled as her arms dug _futilely_ into the mud as the cold sicking brackish liquid began to suck her face inward. Ruby truly panicked as the dark, disgusting liquid gripped onto her nose and mouth like some type of silly putty as it tried to smother her to death.

 _"Jaune! Hino! Kage?! Weiss!? Weiss!? W-_

" _Who's Weiss Ruby?"_ A familiar voice says Ruby felt a strong pair of hands lift her out of the mud as a hatchet dug here out of the gunk.

Ruby turned around only to see the grinning face of her flamethrower wielder Mika Smith. Looking down at Ruby with an enigmatic smile she looked down at her Ruby might have looked like a picture of hell but Mika aside from the muddy furs she wore looked _completely fine._

Mika looked the _vision_ of good health as she stood above Ruby. Everything about Mika looks like it was brand new for her legs to her chest to her forehead looks like it was _fresh_ out of a bath.

"What took you so long?" The pink hair girl Krix added submissively as she stalked behind Mika her rifle held low, and her head held lower as she refused to meet their eyes.

"Sorry, _Krixy_! We _have_ to save my friend Ruby! Now, don't we?" Mika asked in a _warning_ tone as Krix shuddered.

"Yes, Mika," Krxi said far too quickly making Mika girls he picked up Crescent Rose which rested a few feet from Ruby as she pointed to the battle unfolding in front of them.

"Onward friends! _To death or glory!"_ Mika shouted as the three girls began to march…

* * *

It was a horrid bloody battle as the girls mainly Mika ended up fighting their way through way through what was once a _pitched_ battle but was now turning into a steady rout of the fang as Mika laughed gleefully takin pleasure in the _many_ wound faunus combatants as she had found a whole _new_ wardrobe and giggled like a girl on a spending spree.

"Hold Ruby Krix! I'm about to go _shopping!"_ Mika said with a grin as she holstered her flamethrower and skipped to the dying fauns who would all _very_ much wish that they where indeed dead or the _very_ least _unconscious_ As Mika began to _collect_ her new additions to her wardrobe.

As Ruby mumbled numbly and Kix shudder visibly the macabre shopping spree went on for a full five minutes before Mika was finally satisfied as she skipped back to her friends sporting _several_ new furs and pelts as the girls began to walk forward. After that, the battle appeared to lose all intensity as the girls eventually met up with Hino and marched all the way into the fang compound arm over arm where a familiar group of four figure s awaited them…

After that, the battle appeared to lose all intensity as the girls eventually met up with Hino and marched all the way into the fang compound arm over arm where a familiar group of four figure s awaited them…

"What the _hell_ took you so long? You _missed_ all the fun!" Zacha asked as the girls almost murdered him.

* * *

"H h h How bad is it?" Ruby asked nervously as the reunited members of team ARKM all sat at the far end of a medical bullhead. Each one was covered in filth mud dirt and blood, and they all looked like they had been through hell and back.

"It's not so bad! I can barely see it!" Jaune said in his best you are going to be ok. Impressions he stared at his best friends marred face. Ruby looked like somebody had slashed her good eye side of her face with a blender as the long messy scars ran down its length giver her the appearance of a phantom more than a girl.

While her other side had a large orange burn mark that the doctors said would be a permanent addition to her face.

"You mean that?" Ruby asked tentatively as she looked at Jaune silver eye full of hope and trepidation as her bionic one scanned his face for falsehoods.

"Of course we do _friend_ Ruby! You look like _a million lien!_ " Mika said happily _completely_ ignoring Ruby's terrible bandaged arms that she would need _extensive_ surgery on when they got back to Bastion.

"Kage?" Ruby asked tentatively to her large boy in crimson plate male who besides Jaune was her best male contact and in her opinion her true friend as he grimaced at her.

"Yeah... You look _good as new..."_ Kage said not bothering to meet her silver eyes with his brown one as she perked up in hope.

"Thanks, guys. This means a lot to me an-

" _Hey! You lot!_ I'm looking for Kage! Has anyone seen the moody bastard?"

Zach said as he casually sauntered to team Arkm bere accidentally bumping int Ruby.

"Oh shit! Sorry about that red! Didn't see where I was going an WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!?"

Zach yelled instantly gripping holding and _shattering_ any self-confidence Ruby had as Jaune shot him a venomous look while Mika seethed and Kage raised an eyebrow at him.

"My my my face!? Is it really that bad!?" Ruby asked suddenly on the verge of tears as Jauen stepped in.

"No Ruby! OF course, it isn't! It's fin-

"Don't you lie to her! Sweet Oum girl! You look hideous! What the hell happened to you!? Did somebody hit you with a damned blender!? Oh my god! Somebody! Hino! Get over here! Red needs burlap sack pronto! Dear god kid! You can't just be showing _that_ to people!What if some random ki-

 _WHAP!_

The back of a large drill smacked into Zach's head knocking him forward before Hino calmly walked up to them.

"I apologize for my teammate's rudeness. He does not mean anything by it. Ruby, you look _beautiful_ don't let anybody tell you otherwise."

"If you lie to the girl now it will only make telling her the truth harder you know? I mean she looked like somebody to a pair of hedge clipper-

 _WHAP!_

"Enough. I'm sorry we bothered you. Kage, Ruby, Jaune, Mika. It was a _pleasure_ working with you all, and I hope to do so again in the future." Hino said politely bowing to them as she grabbed Zach by the scruff of his collar and pulled him backward.

"Come on you! I'm tired of you always insulting people around me! Especially _our_ friends!"

"I did _not_ insult her! I just told her the truth!"

"The truth _is_ insulting!"

"Then what do you want me to do l _ie?!"_

 _"Yes_! You always lie to get laid and to stay so shy can't you lie to make her feel better about herself!?"

"Because friend does not lie to other friends! Sweet Monty woman I'd thought you would at least know that by now! If you would just watch my powerpoint on this subject, I'm sure you would find it more than enlightening and-

"Enough of your _damned powerpoints!"_

The girl said dragging her partner away As Ruby shook.

"Red you ok?" Kage asked putting a large hand on her should as he began to quake.

"If it makes you feel any better _I_ think you look great," Kage said in his best calming voice which was honestly horrible as Ruby rocked herself into a tight red ball.

 _"I'm hideous,"_ the reaper said as she tucked her head on her knees as she rested her caused arms about herself and she began to weep...

* * *

 **Well, there we go! Another day another chapter! Happy new year everybody! If you follow me Jaune Torchwick is next so until then take care.**

 **PS I just got to say. Thank you for reading I know when I started this fic I didn't expect any followers really. It was completely uncanonical and was chocked full of Oc's people that don't even exist in RWBY but it somehow got a following so thanks.**

 **Pss _Powerpoint confirmed._ It's officially Bastion cannon.**

 **Psss. What do people think of the OC's? I tried putting a lot of work in them but I don't quite know how they are working out so any comment would be appreciated on this matter otherwise thanks for reading and have a good day.**

 **On a side note just want to put this out there. I have not been releasing as much lately because well only I have been struck with a lot of inspiration. Like I'm working with few fics right now, Bastion, Torchwcik, Endangered species right now but I just got the idea for two completely new ones that I've been trying slowly pick away at over the weeks.**

 **They have been slowing down my other fics but they are not my focus. I won't focus on them until at least one or more of the fics I'm working on are done. But I will drop the first chapter of one or two some time this week hopefully...**


	17. Pillar one Eye on you

**AN: More Bastion hot form the presses. This time we see that all may not be as it seems and that there are more subtle influences at work. And that no good deed goes unpunished.**

 **PS. If you augmented limbs start giving you romantic advice. Please. Do not listen to them. Thank you very much. This had been a local Bastion Pa advisement on personal safety.**

* * *

"It doesn't look _that_ bad," Kage said as Ruby glared downtrodden at her arms.  
The small girl sat on thin opaque sheet on the Bastion infirmary as the rest of team _ARKM_ sat around their wounded teammate as the nurse finished tending to her.  
"There you go! Now with that, your injuries should be more or less healed."  
Felicia said as she flashed Ruby a crooked smile her shady blonde hair shaking slightly as her white-robed cover the rest of her body as she moved to talk to the girl.  
"How bad was it?" Jaune asked d taking a step forward toward his wounded partner as the nurse nodded once to him.

 _"Bad._ She needed extensive surgery to her bones, the smoke damage to her lungs was severe but fixable albeit barely, and her nerves were nearly completely shot due to the fire. _But!_ We managed to fix her bones more or less and repair some if not all of her nerve damage! Sure you might not be as dextrose as you used to be but you'll be fine!"

Felicia said making Ruby sigh.  
"Is that all?"  
 _"No."_ The nurse firmly replied as she began to pace.

"We needed to do _extensive_ work on your bones to put them back in working order. Most of your lowe ars are now replaced by metal, with over _six_ metal rods in your self, you will _not_ be able to move them as well as before. Though they are slightly more durable, they will not be as quick or as nimble as they once were."

"And my face?" Ruby asked to grimace as everybody had been avoiding that can of worms in particular.  
Her face as a mess. Or it had been. Now there was just a giant scorched mark of her free eye making the girls look like someone had tossed hot grease on her face followed by a series of messy shrapnel scars that looked like somebody had hit her good eye with a cheese grater and one that she had informed them would _never_ go away.

"Besides the scaring? Your face is perfectly fine. You _might_ lose the burn mark in a few years time, but there is nothing we can do about the metal wounds. Those are going to be with you for _life."_

"Figures."  
Ruby said darkly as an uneasy silence filled the room. It was like everybody was walking on glass tiptoeing around a delicate topic that they all knew about bet were steadily refusing to speak about let alone acknowledge in the first place.

"Is there any other things we as her team should know about?" Kage asked stepping forward and broke the silence as his crimson red armor gleamed in dim infirmary light giving it a bright sheen as the nurse smiled at him. "

Yes. Beside the scaring your body will take time to adjust to your new limbs."  
"How long?"  
Ruby asked lifting her head as she winced as her still freshly burnt tissue twitched under the light.  
"It could take as little as a _few nights_ to as long as a _couple_ of weeks. Until then I have administered you some temporary pain medication, but that will wear off around night time. When it wears off, you can expect extreme nerve pain as your bones try to struggle with the new additions to hem. You might be unfit for combat for the time being so take it easy all right?" The nurse said as Ruby nodded despondently.  
"Will do."

"Excellent! Now if you all don't mind please I have more patients to attend to that are far worse off then you miss Rose!"  
"Thank you, Felicia. We won't forget this." Jaune said as the nurse nodded.  
"It's not a problem mister Arc I'm just doing my job." The woman said genuinely as team _ARKM_ began to walk outside.

* * *

"Ruby my dear! A moment of your time?" The nursed asked as Ruby shrugged her should and went over to her.  
"Yes?"

"Ruby a _quick_ question really nothing not important but I must ask you this."  
"Yes?"

"This may sound strange but do try to answer me honestly. Has your eye been _talking_ to you recently?"  
The woman asked as Ruby began to sweat as a cold hand gripped her heat as her eye narrowed in on her.

"What do you mean _talking_ to me?"  
"I mean has it been referring to you as _Ruby_. And not simply saying that you are its owner. Has it been calling you by name or acting in a way that is not normal for a prosthetic?"

"And if it is?"

"Oh it's no big deal, but we might have to _kill_ you."  
The nurse asked flatly making the girl eep!  
 _"What!? Why!?"_

"Well, that or simply remove the eye. Whatever is easiest really. When prosthetics that are attached to the brain start gaining signs of sentience they tend to make things _problematic_. They are known to alter moods, causing _drastic_ mood swings and creating havoc with one's emotions. They make you _irrational,_ foolhardy, they also are known to increase feelings of _anger, jealousy, love_ and a overall risk to your teammates. So has your eye been talking to you?"

"No...  
 _Good!_ Then there is just one more thing to ask!"

"And that is?" "I would just like to tell you that the path you are one is a _most_ blessed one indeed."

"The path that I am on? What do you mean nurse?"

"I mean the state of your body girl! If you keep this rate of injury up you will need more and more implants. At this rate, you are going to become more machine than flesh! A _truly_ glorious thing to be sure!"  
The nurse said Ruby gulped.

"I'm not sure I want that Fleica….

"Do not be scared child! You have taken your first steps toward ascendance! Soon you may shed your flesh all together! Wouldn't that be grand?" the woman asked as Ruby laughed nervous before leaving the room and going back to her dorm in a shower of rose petals.

* * *

" _Honestly?"_

"Honestly _Red_ you look fine." kage said as he laid back in his bed eyes shut tight and staring up at the ceiling as Ruby looked at her scythe _Crescent Rose_ as she saw her pained expression.

Her eye had already spent _hours_ detailing every detail of her injury and its effects on her. Luckily most of them were scared face would not impede battle. And her eye even suggested that it might make her look frightening to an opponent. A reassurance Ruby did not like. _Not. At. All._  
"Ruby, it's going to work out. You are going to be ok. I promise." Jaune said as he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

One that Ruby took instantly wrapping her fingers around his, wincing as her bones protested such abrupt actions but relishing the feeling of their fingers interconnecting.  
"Thanks, Jaune. That means a lot to me." Ruby said as Jaune smiled at her.  
"Sure no problem Ruby. I'll do anything for you." He said making the girls heart flush as her cheeks reddened.

"Don't say a thing you don't mean. I might _just_ take your offer."  
Ruby said with a slight flush at her leader and _not,_ so secret crush totally misread.  
"Ruby, I'm an Arc and an Arc-  
"An Arc never goes back on their word. I know." Ruby said with a slight smile as she looked up at him.

" _Don't leave me,"_ Ruby said imply as she glared at him.  
"Don't leave my side. Ever again."  
The girl asked as Jaune nodded to her.

"I won't as long as I can help it, I will never let you be alone again."  
Jaune promised as the girl's heart nearly jumped out of her chest. Her heart like a jackhammer as the blond gave her his honest promise. He just swore that he would never leave her side. Never! That meant that she and Jaune would always be together! And-  
 _"You two want a smoke?"_

Kage asked suddenly appearing from nowhere as one moment he was sitting silently on his bed the nest he apparated halfway across the room holding a box of cigarettes in hand.

"Sure thanks," Ruby said instinctively snatching one as Jaune nodded and did the same.  
"Don't forget about me!" Mika said happily as she bounded over them than one of the long white sticks from the boy before readying her pilot light.  
All four member of team ARKM took a long deep, satisfying smoke as they lit their heads loll back as milk could of smoke and small bulbs of orange light filled the room.

They made it. They got through their first official Death Korps mission battered and bruised and missing some body parts, but they were all here. They were all alive and most importantly at least, for now, they were all safe.  
"My face-  
"Is _perfect."_  
Kage said plainly taking a long drag from his cigarette and blowing a low circle of smoke in front of him as he let out a long drag.

"You look _A-ok_ to me Ruby!" Mika sad happily her paper-white skin glowing in the light as Jaune nodded.  
"You're beautiful Ruby," Jaune said completely miss the absolute glow that came on the girl's cheeks as she instantly hid her face "But Zach said-

 _"Ignore_ him," Kage added as he took another hit from his cigar.  
"He's a _dick."_  
"Yeah, he's a stupid jerkface, Ruby! I think you look amazing!"

Mika added simply as the girl felt an odd genuine bond with her Bastion teammates.  
Well not for the first time. Ruby had always felt something with Kage. Not like friendship or romance. _Definitely_ not romance but something like dependability? It always felt like to her at least the Kage unlike the rest of Bastion students with the odd exception of Hino or maybe Krix.

Was not overtly hostile nor was he cruel. Sure he fought and when he killed Ruby making feel some qualms about it _at first_ but he seemed to do things more out of necessity than any form of malice. His actions carried no malicious intent, and he had honestly looked out for her since coming here. So she had somehow ended up thinking of him as a _true_ friend. Mika on the other hand….

Ruby had no idea what to think about her. At first, the girl terrified Ruby. She was off-putting to the extreme. Even though she always had a face of perpetual happiness and joy to Ruby, it looked fake.  
Like all her bubbliness and joy was like some type of mask hiding something deep and dark underneath it. It was like she as predator disguised as sheep.

As she barely laughed or chirped even while slicing the skin off an injured man or burning a man into charged crips. Her mood was perpetually set on ecstatic. And that Terrified her.  
But now? After everything, she'd been through? The girl had not only been acting friendly towards her more so than usual especially after the time in the underground tunnel crept into her mind making her heart flush. She also had saved her life in the mud making ruby eternally grateful to her, and so she had earned the title of .. friend?  
As the four students enjoyed along smoke it was just glad to be home….

* * *

"I _hate_ this." Ruby said quietly as she laid on her bed.

" I know," Jaune replied as he rubbed his friends head softly.

"I miss Beacon."

"I do too."

"I miss my friends...

"So do I."

"I even miss _Weiss!'_

"I know Ruby. But it's going to be ok all right?"  
Jaune asked as he wrapped his arms around the smaller girl was crying softly into her arms.  
Ruby fought the urge to weep openly into her dorm as her limbs felt like somebody had injected shard of jagged glass into them as she bit her tongue. The only reason she did not wail to the heavens or cry aloud was she did not want to wake Mika or Kage.

Who were sleeping mere feet away and she couldn't bring herself to disturb. Not after their last mission. If even half of the stories she heard the boy's fight had been just as hellish as her own and though she was the most heavily scarred both physically and mentally she refused to be a burden to her team. So she does the only thing she could do in her situation, she wept.  
"I _hate_ this, my head hurts, my arms hurt... _everything_ hurts.." Ruby said again as she felt strong arms circle her body as she cried softly into her arm.  
"Don't worry Ruby. You're going to be ok." Jaune said as the merely bit her tongue as her arms lanced white-hot agony into her body as she weapon into the night.

* * *

The next morning was just like regular Bastion morning. Team ARKM got up, dressed showered in some cases shaved and were well on their way to combat class when their scrolls gave a telltale beat, and they were summoned to the headmaster's office.  
Where after five minutes of walking through the once more eerily quiet Bastion stone hallways team ARKM was greeted be the enigmatic visage of Ludo his long white hair ghostly skin and silver eyes regard them happily as his second glared crimson daggers into them as they walked inside his fire lite, but an oddly _chilled_ office.

* * *

 _"Excellent!_ Another successful mission! And a splendid display of ingenuity if I do say so myself! And I _do_!" Ludo said clapping his hand loudly and laughed that same raucous laugh that was still entirely devoid of warmth or care as he eyed the member of team ARKM with a predatory gaze.

"I must say that your latest mission with the _esteemed_ members of the BAstion Death kors was a resounding success and I'm proud of all of you!" The man said smiling broadly as Jaune gulped refusing to show his growing sense of trepidation to him. It was if someone had taken his enter lower body from his ankle down and dipped them in a bucket of ice as he felt the entirety of the warmth inside him leave as he shudders involuntarily.

"It was nothing sir. We were just doing our job." Jaune replied diplomatically trying to play down his roles and get out of the office as soon as possible.  
Unfortunately, that had the opposite effect as the man gave a cackle of laughter that was as shrill and sharp as the claws of an Ursa as he slapped a hand on his desk _WHAP!_

"My boy! That sense of modesty while endearing is completely and wholeheartedly unnecessary! I know what you did down there and all this talk of not a big deal? Enough! I won't hear of it!"

"Sir?"

"I heard all about you four how you ingenuity and independent thinking not only accomplished the mission before expected predictions but also saved countless lives of Bastion Death korps students in the process!"

"I heard how after being separated from your units you lead a group of four students including yourself on a daring mission behind enemy lines!"  
"Were you engaged and assassinated the enemy commander only after making him withdraw half of his troops from the front and saving hundreds if not thousands of lives in the process! I hear how you and Zach Both dueled with the white fang lieutenant while your Vox office scrambled their transmissions! I also heard of _you,_ Kage!"

"I must say I _am_ impressed! You went out of your way to single-handedly hold off a wave of over fifty enemy combatants selflessly with no thoughts of your own safety and onto that of your teams! I must say that I am not only impressed I am _inspired!"_  
The man spoke as Kage gave an odd stutter.

"Thank you, sir. It was nothing I was just doing my job. LIke my leader said it was just us making the best out of a bad situation."  
"But to act so selflessly and to face down an entire wave by yourself? Mister Kage that is the epitome of what being a hunter is all about!"

 _"Selflessly._ HMM That's a word all right."

His assistant Miss Heil said as she scoffed at Kage making him freeze up as her searing blood red eyes glared into his light brown one making the boy sweat. Jaune also found himself giving off a thin layer of perspiration as he felt the temperature of the room steadily rise as the woman glared daggers at his _friend_.

"Miss Heil! Surely you are not insinuating that Kage had any other interest then the safekeeping of his team and friends are you?"  
The headmaster asked seemingly affronted, but Jaune saw something in his eyes. A flicker of movement that reminded Jaune of a shark prowling the water and making him shudder.

"I am _merely_ suggesting that when a student that has shown no history of any selfless acts suddenly starts acting like a martyr, it should be viewed with…. Suspicion and not open praise is all. _Sir."_

The woman added through gritted teeth as Jaune had to suppress a gulp.

 _She's so young_. Jaune thought as he looked at the tall blonde woman standing rigidly next to the headmaster and scowling with naked contempt at his friend.

She was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair a fierce expression with a _healthy_ skin tone. Of lightly tanned flesh in a _stark_ opposite of the usual paper white and sickly tones of most Bastion residents. She wore a white blouse with a plaid business skirt and looked almost like a younger miss GoodWitch except for her glowing crimson eyes and _complete_ lack of empathy or remorse.

"Nonsense! Kage acted like a hunter in training should! Going above and beyond the call for his friend with nary a thought of ulterior motives! Isn't that right Kage. You _didn't_ have any other ulterior motives int a selfless display of self-sacrifice now did you?"

The man asked in a voice, so chilled so utterly devoid of warmth and human emotion that Jaune felt his blood freeze and turn to ice while images of a silver ball filled his head as Kage Began to sweat.

"It was the _most_ efficient way to help my team, sir."  
"Now Kage that was _not_ my question now was it?"

"No sir."  
"What was my question Kage?"  
"Did I have any ulterior motives besides helping my team, _sir."_

"And did you? Mister Kage?'  
"No sir."  
"Excellent!"

"There! You see Miss Heil! The boy clearly had no ulterior motives besides helping his friends! He even said so himself!"

"If you _wish_ to believe him, _Sir."_  
"Oh come now, Miss Heil! You need to lighten up! If you keep up that searing gaze, you are going to scare them!" "They should be scared."  
"Enough! Miss Heil we will need to have a serious talk about your personality when this is over! Anyways! _Miss Rose! Miss Smith!"_

"Yes!?" Ruby keeps as the dean shot her a withering glare that made the girls totally normal knee quake.  
"That's yes sir to you girl." The dean seethes as Ruby blake.  
"I mean yes sir! What can I do for you?!"  
"Present!" Mika said shouting happily as the man gave another one of his mirthless chuckles to her.

"Calm down Miss Rose! You are not under interrogation! I am merely congratulating you and Miss Smith on a job well done!"

"Job well done?"

"Why of _course!_ You infiltrated an enemy tunnel complex completely cleared it off defenders and left the vast majority of data and terminals intact giving us invaluable data on the fangs' movement in the area! No doubt saving much more life in the future!"

"That's good?" Ruby asked as her eye lived up as the man grinned.

It was a sharp _tainted_ gesture. A sheer mockery of a human expression if one ever existed. As the edges of his face twisted up in inhuman proportions as his skin was stretched taught in a way that no humans skin should be. It looked like a large hand was gripping his flesh with a pair of clamps and forcing a smile upward against his will as the man began to speak.

"It's more than _good_ miss Rose! It's outstanding! In fact, because of your heroic actions, I am offered you all a _promotion!_ "

"A promotion sir? What do you mean?"  
Jaune asked as the man grinned wickedly at him.

"What I mean mister Arc is that after your latest foray into the wilds you have all show yourself as individual with _unique_ talents! Talents that would be a _waste_ if left to with traditional aspect of the death korps!"

"So, in fact, I have decided to promote you all as both a reward _and_ as a safeguard for your future assignments."  
The man said as team ARKM froze as they all looked stunned teacher before Jaune spoke.  
"Promote sir? What do you mean?"

"I mean that you will all be moved to an _elite_ Death Korps unit that operates independently of the main force. You will be given the _best_ training and equipment Bastion can gather! You will be given your own personal commander an teacher you are very familiar with and be expected to do missions once per _month_ and _not_ once per week as per usual."

"That sounds… _great?_ " Jaune said as the man grinned.  
"Oh, it is great Mister Arc. You four are now elevated to the _elite_ of the elite. Though do not grow slack! Though your missions are reduced the ones you _do_ take will be _challenging_. And you will often be _requested_ to carry on favors for the school! I expect _grea_ t things from you in the future. Now before you go how are you all? I know Bastion life can require some… adjustment and I _am_ curious to see how the best and brightest of my first years are doing."  
The man asked as Jaune gulped.

"I'm… doing _well_ sir."  
Jaune said as Ludo gave him a tired sigh.

"Mister Arc did we _not_ agree to tell the other the truth? You are clearly not doing well so please if there is anything that I can do to make your experience more pleasant please do not hesitate to ask me. After all, I am headmaster of this school, and as such, I subsist off of my students."  
"I…

"Yes, Mister Arc? Go on don't be shy!"  
"Would it be possible for some more free time? We spend most of our day's training and fighting and are often high strung because of it. Would it be possible to include more relaxation into our lives?"

"Why of course! I believe I said this before but let me reiterate! Since your promotion, you are no longer required to train with the average Death Korps and will still gain the _full_ benefits of their rations!"

"Now is there anyone else with something that they would like done?"

The man said scanning the room before finding his target.

"Yes! Miss Rose, I see you fidgeting! Don't' be shy ask me!"

"Can… _Can_ we get access to better weapons? I would like to modify my own but the forge is only for leaders to reserve and whenever I go there are always _too_ many people! And I have social anxiety and me...

"But of course! Since you are now the top, you are elites now so you will get certain privileges…  
 _"Privileges?"_ Kage asked as the man nodded.

"Yes, mister Kage! Privileges! You will like all Bastion fourth year teams get to decide on a single piece of furnishing to be added to your room free of charge! Be it a comfy couch, a nice chair a _fully_ functioning forge with all the tools you might need for weapon modifications… Hmmm, Miss Rose what do you think about that?"

"That's _amazing!_ " Ruby shouted her eye shooting out of her head before jerking back as she blushed as the man laughed raucously.  
"But of course! Now is there anything else you may like?"

"Can I have access to the Bastion resources department?"

Kage asked as Ludo shot him a _genuine_ flummoxed look.  
"For what reason?"  
"I need several rare earth metals from my _personal_ use."

"Very well… You shall have limited access."  
"Anyone else?"

" _ME! ME!_ " Mika shouted as the man smiled.  
"Ah but of course! How could I forget about my very own _granddaughter!_ Tell me, Mika, what can your proud grandparent do for you!"  
"OH! I want a pair of _bunny slippers!"_  
" _Bunny slippers?"_  
"Hot pink _bunny slippers!"_  
"Are you sure?'  
"Yes! I also want more fuel for my weapon! And do you have a churro machine?"

The girls asked as the man glared at her.  
"It's either a forge _or_ a churro machine. You can have one but _not_ both! A grandfather must be a little strict you know?"  
The man said as Mika turned pleadingly to Kage.

"Kage! I-

"Don't ask me. Ask him." He said pointing to Jaune.  
"He's the boss."  
"Jaune! ~Boss man~! I know for a _fact!_ That you want a churro machine more than some _stupid_ foundry right!? R _IGHT!?"_  
"It's a not a foundry its _forge!_ And it is _not_ stupid!" Ruby shouted at her making Mike glare at her silencing the smaller girl who popped! Before jumping and clinging behind an annoyed Kage.

"Mika… A forge is _far_ more convenient…  
Jaune explained as the girl whined.

"But Jaune! Churros!"  
"Jaune! We need better weapons!"  
"Jaune churros!"  
"Jaune weapons!"  
"We _can't_ eat if we are dead!"  
"What's the point of life if you can't even _enjoy_ it!? I want my churros!  
" _Jaune!'_  
 _"Jaune!"_  
 _"Jaune-_

 _"ENOUGH!_ Both of you be silent, or I swear you will be naught but piles of ashes in a moment!" Miss Heil shouted instantly silencing the girl as the man sighed.  
"You will put in a formal furnish request another day. Until then enjoy your days. And since your here. Have this day and tomorrow off from classes all right?" Ludo asked as the teens nodded and left.

* * *

"What are you going to do on your day off?"  
Ruby asked Jaune who was busy polishing _Crocea Mors._ "No idea Rubes. What do you want to do?' Jaune asked making the girl blush as she hopped onto his bed sliding next him blush as the bed shifted under their weight.  
"I…  
Ruby took a deep breath before putting a hand on Jaune's and squeezing.  
"I want to spend the day with you!" She declared and nearly fainted when Jaune squeezed back.  
"Sure," he said calmly nearly causing the girl to faint as she fell back on the bed giggling madly as he looked at her worriedly.

"Ruby? Are you ok?" "She's just a bit sick," Mika said giggling as Jaune shrugged his shoulder as he saw Kage leaving the room.  
"Where are you going kage?'

"Taking a walk. I'll be back later. _Don't_ wait for me to eat." Kage said before nodded once and lain out of the room.

* * *

 _"Well, Well, Well._ Mister Kage! You sure have outdone yourself now!"

An excited voice said as Felicia eyed the small silver ball in his hands.  
"It's what you wanted correct?"

Kage asked handing her the damned orb that nearly got his soul eviscerated as the woman clasped her hands excitedly.  
"Yes! And _so_ much more!" The woman said shaking with palpable excitement as she put the silver ball in some type of clear, opaque container before turning back to the boy.  
"Now about you payment….

"You said it would be something that I would _enjoy_?" Kage asked the woman who grinned at him.

"But of course! We here at the Bastion mechanicum are always here to help our allies. And we _always_ remember who they are."  
The woman said flashing Kage a stylized human skull pendulum with a large _cogwheel_ on it as he stared at her.

"So… what are you going to do?"

"Take off your armor." The woman said as Kage raised an eyebrow at her as the woman laughed at him.  
"Do not worry Kage. We know how much you value your armor and we would do nothing to scratch it."

"So what will you do?" Kage asked as he began to remove his _immaculate_ red plate armor taking it off piece by piece as he took off his armor and Fleica grinned.  
"Excellent. Now all you need to do is wait." She said as Kage stared at her in his now rarely noticed black skin suit. Tat clung tightly to his body as he stared at the woman who pointed to a plastic seat and told him to sit.  
"Take a seat, Mr. Kage. I will back in a moment." The woman said as Kage grunted.  
 _"Don't_ chip it."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Felicia said as she grinned at him as she took his armor off in the back of the infirmary as he took a seat and began to wait…

* * *

"So what did you do to it?" Kage asked as he slipped back into his armor feeling the familiar snug suit slip right back on him only for an odd feeling of weightlessness that filled him as she heard that whirring of pistons and the churning of gears inside. "We added some additional enhancements to you already custom plate mail."

Felicia said smiling broadly as Kage flexed his arm making it whir up as he felt like his plate mail had lost nearly all of its weight as he began to stretch in it.  
"Like what? It's like I'm not even wearing it."

"We added _several_ pistons and gears that will add to your overall strength and movement. With the possibilities of additional _improvements_ later on if you so would desire. Assuming you continue to aid our cause in its journey. As you know only Bastion students and teachers are allowed to leave the school. As such we the _help_ are often left behind and in need of outside assistance to carry on out pet projects.'

"And that's where I come in?"

"Yes. That's where you come in. Continue to aid us, and the mechanicum _will_ continue to aid you. We have significantly improved your armor and allowed room for improvements should you continue to be of use to us."

"Like what?" Kage asked as the woman grinned at him.

"Well, we have added additional shoulder plates to your armor. These additions besides offering increased will allow you to well pummel anything in your way. Allowing you to break through most people things and walls. And if you continue to aid as well… We could only improve your suit, include improved mobility, strength, wight and the possibility of a _powered_ improvement."

The woman said as Kage nodded to her as he shot out his hand.  
" _Deal._ Keep adding to my suit, and I'll keep bringing you back what you need."

"Excellent. Mister Kage. We already have a list for you."  
Felicia said she shot him a toothy grin.

"Remember that he mechanicum is always grateful to their allies."  
She said before handing him a small box of opaque plastic with cardboard side.  
"Is this?" Kage gaps she nodded.  
" _Kraken rounds._ Only the best for our allies."  
"This is…  
"But a token of our gratitude"  
She said to hold the box the boy as he gulped "What's the saying you lot have again..?"

Kage asked thinking for a time before he snapped his fingers.

"The _omnissiah protects?"_  
"Indeed he dose Mister Kage. Indeed he dose _."_ Felica said smiling at him as he walked out the door.

* * *

"Is there something I can do?"  
"No… Just… keep your arms tight… Please."

 **Good. Don't let up.**  
Ruby whispered as Jaune held her tightly as the boy grabbed her from behind. It was late at night, and Ruby was going to bed. It had been so long since she slept alone that she could no longer remember what it felt like as Jaune gripped her from behind.  
"Are you in any pain?" Jaune asked as Ruby shook her head.

 **Don't let him pause. _We_ need to make this work.**

"No. I'm feeling ok. But thanks for asking me." Ruby said as she files Jaune's grip tighten around her waist pulling her closer to his crotch making the girl flush.  
"Jaune…  
"Yes, Ruby?" Jaune asked completely oblivious to his actions as his awkward positioning as he forced the girls back into him.  
"Jaune… do you remember earlier? When you said that you would do anything for me?" Ruby asked him s Jaune nodded his head.  
"Yes. Why?"

"I… Because did you mean it?'

"Of course I did. I said I would and I will. An Arc never goes back on his word."  
"Yes… But did you really mean it? Or did you-

"Ruby," Jaune said flipping her over to the point where she was pinned under the insanely comfortable Bastion bedding as Jaune forced her onto her back making the girl blush fiercely as she eyed him. "I said I would always be by your side. And I meant that. I'm never going to leave you for as longa s you want. All you need to do is just ask. And I'll be there for a second." Jaune said gripped her hands and making her blush. "And would you be there for me and only me?" Ruby asked as Jaune cocked his head. 'What do you mean?"

"I mean when I need you. Will you always be there for me? Before anybody else?" "Ruby?"  
"I mean will you be there for me. And only me. WIll you put me on anyone else?" Ruby asked as Jaune grimace.  
"You want me to be there only for you?" Jaune asked as Ruby nodded.  
 _"Only_ me. "

 **He's breaking. Put on the force.**  
"But Ruby… what about our friend Kage or Mika? Or not even count our friend waiting for us at-  
"Jaune I almost died. I felt myself _dying._ I was cold and alone. I … _Don't'_ want to feel like this again. Please. Don't let me die cold alone an-

"Fine. I'll be there for you. I will never leave your side. Or put anybody above you. As of right now, you are the most important thing in my life, and I'll put you above all else. This I _swear."_

 **Good job.**

" _I bet Pyrrha never got you to say that."_  
"What was that?"  
"Oh, _nothing!_ I just thought that I'm just glad I have somebody in like you in my life."  
"I feel the same, Ruby. You are my best friend."  
"Yeah… friend…"  
Ruby said as she snuggled herself into Jaune's chest as her mechanical eye whirring what seemed like delight as the two went to bed...

* * *

Jaune couldn't sleep. His heat was beating out of his chest and thumping like a jackhammer. His breathing was harsh and shallow, and he fought to keep a straight face.

 _What's happening!?_ Jaune thought as he felt the inhumanly soft skin or Ruby Rose as she sighed underneath him.

It had happened so fast so suddenly that he never knew what to think. One moment it was ruby and him sleeping in the same bed as always, the next somehow he had her gripped and pinned beneath him!?

Sure he and Ruby _slept_ together but it just that! Sleep! They never did anything beyond light cuddling or maybe the lightest of hugs! But now!?

The tension was in his lungs as he gulped heavily. Ruby and intertwined her legs with his drawing him color other as he now nearly face to face with the sleeping girl.

Who despite horrific injured other face was was one of the most beautiful people on the planet. She slept ina complete tranquil guided as even her augmented eye was closed and sealed shut in a way that looked cute. If nothing else.

As Jaune sighed heavily trying to adjust his weight in such a way that he could sleep next to and not on top of her a gesture made impossible as she somehow gripped his back pulling him closer to her and making him blush an-

 _"Pyrrha never get's this..._

Ruby mumbled in her sleep as a cooked girn came to another face as Jaune cocked his head.

Is she thinking about Pyrrha? I bet she misses her too. I know I do. Jaune thought with sight the tension left his body as he sighed and resigned himself to sleep awkwardly onto of his best friend in the world...

* * *

 **AN: Well there it is. Slower chapter to set up for later points in the story. Promotions abound and Churros for the masses! After this, we got some real missions some character development and some over all chaos! so stay tuned. If you follow me Jaune Torchwick's next until then.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant.**

"Well, this could have gone better." The blonde said as he felt his stomach lurch out of his throat as his car slammed forward crushing the Beowulf inform of him into a nasty red pulp as they barreled through the horde of monsters.

"Sorry commissar. I did not mean to disturb you, but their dose seems to be a _slight_ Grimm problem, sir."

His aide said with his usual sterling ability to underestimate the situation as the salamander tore through the Vacuoan streets as Jaune sighed heavily.

As once again his aide had woefully misrepresented the situation with his usual steely determination and unflappable manner of speaking.

Saying that the city had a _slight_ grim problem would be like saying that he had a _slight_ drinking problem. As his aid tore through the streets with his usual lack of regard for traffic rules and roadside conditions. A habit made worse by the rampaging monsters and terrified shouts of civilians as they tried and more often than not _failed_ to escape said monsters.

Now usually this is about the time when the _real_ commissar would jump out of his salamander chainsword barring declaring at the top of his lungs that the light protects! And that the denizens of the darkness shall leave the good people of Vacuo alone and come for a real challenge!

Unfortunately for the _good_ people of Vacuo Jaune was _not_ a regular Commissar. Instead of shouting inspiring speeches and charging the enemy head-on he much rather preferred to keep his head ducked and put away in a nice safe trench line or preferably behind several inches of reinforced metal and a couple of dozen men who were willing to hold the line or die trying! As they say.

"Sir we will arrive at our destination in three minutes."

His aid Fenrik Ren. Said to him in his usually imperturbable tone as the Atlesian born gunner tore through the city streets grin up pavement and Grimm in the process.

"Well if we are going to arrive in the middle of a fight I might as well _look_ the part." Jaune grimaced fighting every last one of his instincts as he stood up with _great_ trepidation out of the thickly but not nearly thickly enough for Jaune's taste armored hull of the scout vehicle and exposed his head into the harsh air and blurring images of the streets where pandemonium was raining.

As usual whenever a city's walls fell the Grimm hand a _nasty_ habit of walking all over the place and attempting to make snacks out of the locals.

And while Jaune held _no_ love for Vacuo even he felt _some_ sympathy for them. I mean to be fair seeing _men, women, faunus, human_ being torn apart into bright crimson stains and watching their intestines fall onto the asphalt in grisly macabre representations of roses it was hard not to feel something for them. Not enough to actually _get down_ and help them mind you. But enough to offer them a passing prayer as they roared down the street.

As he pulled down the safety of the mounted weapon and began _firing._

It didn't take much to hit a Grimm in a horde. Especially when they were all busy ripping open card doors or tearing into disabled busses or breaking into a door or feasting on the poor intestines of whoever the hell had not been fast enough to get away from them.

Either way, the large caliber munitions tore them apart in a great burst of blood and gore as the weapon thunked and fired filling the inside cabin of the vehicle with shell casings the size of his fist and filling the air with a hard antic scent.

Normally Jaune would have killed hundreds, but with Ren driving aiming was _problematic_ at best and downright impossible at worst. So seeing as how his second was taking every curve at breakneck speed and doing his damnedest to run over every Grimm he could Jaune simply sighed and forsook aiming all together as he pulled the trigger hoping that his bullets would either a grim and kill it put a civvie out of their misery.

After five minutes of the worst roller coaster of his life, the scout vehicle ground to a slide halt hat nearly cos this his lunch as they arrived at their destination.

"We have arrived, sir."

Ren said auspiciously as Jaune groaned his lunch already threatening to come out of his stomach as he grabbed his pistol from the side compartment.

"Thank you, Ren. I can see that."

"Very well commissar." He said as the two step out into a _slightly_ more ordered version of chaos.

Men with guns were running back and forth along catwalks screaming their heads off as alarms sounded and sirens blared as Jaune sighed rubbing his head with _Croce Mors_ the battle-weary chainsword massaging his scalp as he took a step forward.

Normally he would be back in his scout car, on his way back to his nice cozy command quarters in a nice secured bunker mile behind any unfortunate Grimm trying to rip his guts out or angry extremist trying to blow his brains out. _But no!_

 _OH no!_ Monty himself had decided that once again Jaune would suffer! As no only had the remote border town, he just _happened_ to be passing by walls fell. Somebody with a big mouth and an open scroll had babbled that the _literal_ Hero of Remnant! _Jaune Ciaphis Arc_ was in the place and was going to beat back the Grimm single handily! As one again his completely heroic and _entirely_ undeserved reputation for heroics was forcing him to save the day! _Again_.

"Shall we get going, Commissar? It looks like the Grimm are about to overrun the perimeter."

Ren said readying his hell pistols as Jaune sighed. He honestly had no idea where the hell Ren had gotten the guns, to begin with, them being far off the mark of a normal trooper but had long since stopped carrying as the sounds of roaring Grimm and gunfire crept ever closer to him.

"Yes... I guess so. After all, _I do have a reputation to uphold don't I?"_


	18. Pillar one Wham Bam

**AN: Bam! Here we go! The next chapter of Bastion! Sorry about the delay new school year and stuff but it's back! A bit slow in the begin but it has an ending! I spent a while trying to figure out how I wanted this story to go.**

 **Seeing as Jaune and Ruby only have a _limited_ time in Bastion and they been there a _little_ over a month out of three I had to think and plan out the plot lines I wanted to implement and have them work out with the rests of the plot in a time convenient manner. Besides that! Here we go! If you wanted to see some character bonding this might be the chapter for you! Until then? Enjoy...**

* * *

Kage was having a _good_ day as he laid back on his inhumanly comfortable Bastion bed. So far not only had his team despite his expectations successfully returned from their first death korps mission and were all intact and alive. Where now in good health with _most_ of their limbs still intact.

He didn't say all because technically Ruby needed new bones in her arms and was in a tattered charred mess when he saw her. The only reason in his mind that his new leader Jaune did not lose his crap on the ground was that her mud-caked face completely obfuscated her horrific burns.

Meaning that Jaune had _no_ idea of his partner's and if Kage was correct best friends condition. Though that word was a tentative one at best as it was obvious to Kage at least that the young girl wanted to become _far_ more than friends with the young boy. If judging from the look she got in her eyes whenever Jaune walked into the room. In the beginning, Kage had dismissed it as mere ignorance to a woman but with the way, the metal one literally _zooms_ in on him when he walks in? Kage was not convinced Jaunew was willfully ignoring the girls felling, that or he was just _dens_ e with her emotion.

It was a feeling that he hoped his leader would return in kind. Kage had seen _far_ too many teams go up in flames and worse because of inter-team relationships going sour. Someone insulted somebody; somebody did not want to be in a relationship, someone ended a relationship. This caused grief, grief impaired decision making and impaired decision-making skills. Much more people had been killed by overconfidence then any bullet but if minds wracked with grief had their own category, he was sure that they would place an close second. And he hoped that his friend would make up an-

Did I say, _friends?_ Kage thought as for being brief pause his relaxation, a rare thing as Kage despite his hard and intimidating stature absolutely loved to relax and not have people trying to kill him with long ranged weapons for once. It was an activity that was becoming ever decreasing since he joined his _friends_ …

Even now that word sounded strange and foreign to his tongue. _Friends?_ Where Jaune and Ruby his _friends_? A thought wracked the boy's mind as his jaw fell by an imperceivable degree. The answer despite everything was a resounding… _Yes?_

* * *

Well at first they had _not_ been friends. His interactions with the two had been purely to encourage and foster team cooperation and make sure that his new leader didn't do anything _too_ foolish like leading them on a charge into a nest of gun turrets and into the death, or his partner dying trying to save a bleeding enemy. Something he was nearly convinced she was _mor_ e than capable of doing despite it being the pinnacle of foolishness.

In the beginning, Kage had almost shot himself rather than go on any missions with the two. It's not that he had anything personal against them but… he did. As the two both represented different _equally_ unwanted ends of a spectrum.

One the far end of their spectrum you had Jaune… His reluctant leader teammate and friend? He was greener the Zach's damned pistols _Slight,_ and _Fell._ He was clearly in over his head and out of his depth and was literally disaster waiting to happen. And despite Kage's best efforts was always two steps from death. Kage was just glad _they_ pushed for Ruby to be on the team.

After their first mission where Kage was almost positive the blonde was going to die, but in spite of his expectations not only did he live but he managed to keep himself in one piece and ended up being nominated for a leader position of team _ARKM_. Something Kage was immensely grateful as he did not want to be the leader. He tried that boat and it had ended poorly for _all_ those involved, and he had no intention of repeating such thing with this team. Keeping Mika from skiing his new remate was going to prove a challenge enough and he didn't need the added pressure of team leader to it.

Now after his promotion Kage had two main problems. One keeping Jaune alive because like hell is he leading this team. That also meant keeping him in a stable fit mental state, watching his back on mission and generally being friendly to the boy whenever possible.

Two! Making sure that the same precautions he applied to Jaune also applied to Ruby as well. If Jaune was their leader the _brain_ of the team, then she was like the _heart_. The beating pulse of warmth that while grating at times gave the team life. And not the mockery of it that _his_ partner attempted to.

Ruby was a lifeline to Jaune. If she died? Or was seriously injured then Jaune would snap. Leading to grief and as he knew that would soon lead to both of their deaths and that was something he would very much like to avoid. As despite him being a quote moody shit who had the emotional capacity of a doorknob Kage did enjoy being alive and would do all in his power to stay alive.

Now after this was decided Kage hit a roadblock as well he had to wait. Jaune was in Bastion now and he would need an trial by fire. The arena fights where perhaps the most nerve-wracking things as he knew that Jaune Would do all in his power to keep his foes breathing while he seriously doubted they would return that courtesy in kind.

Though luckily Jaune had developed quite smoothly in his brief time in Bastion. And while he did not kill his opponents if it could be avoided if he did not hold back either. Luckily he decided that if he disabled his opponent quickly enough then they would be unable to fight and the fight would end leading to his victory their life and most importantly his safety.

Kage was glad his leader had made the right decision as the boy was becoming a fine leader at least one that Kage could respect. Which was rare enough, and now somehow the boy was…. For sheer lack of a better term his friend….

Though Jaune was a friend his partner Ruby? Now that was… _complicated._

* * *

Kage was worried when it came down to Ruby. For a variety of reasons. One being her age. Ruby was young, far young than him Jaune or Mika. And being young did not necessarily mean she as inexperienced, but she _was_. Terribly so.

She had seen fighting in her life but never _death_. She killed Grimm that bleed and howled but never humans. She got her first taste of death in the city where he was convinced her and Mika would come to blows over the downed faunus.

But luckily that had been narrowly avoided, and despite lingering animosity toward the two they had performed well enough together in the ensuing fight and subsequent escape. Though the Winter woman had nearly killed her and Jaune besides that minor hiccup, the escape went as planned and they were made the team.

After that? Ruby was near total collapse. She hated Bastion with a burning passion. She missed he told friend her life, her not wearing a collar that would explode the moment she stepped out of line. She was creaking under the pressure of Bastion and if she went Jaune would go too.  
Kage had done his best to mitigate the damage to her mind. Always offering her a shoulder to cry on if she wanted it not that she ever took it. He was still a stranger to her an she clung to Jaune like a tick.

After her first mission where she lost her eye Kage was conceived, it was only a matter to them before she broke lost her shit either committed suicide in the team from by swallowing the barrel of her scythe or losing it during a mission and getting them all killed.

But then it happened. And a silver lining appeared that changed things. During her first arena fight, kage was sure she had snapped. Killing Braxton like that must have made the girl lose her mind as she ran off in a blur of red.

Kage demeaned Jaune to go after her in some hope of saving the situation. But had been completely and wholly mollified when the girl had returned not crying tears of sadness but ones of joy.

Ruby liked killing and this brought open a whole new can of worms. Kage knew people reacted differently to ending another's life. Some like Jaune made the best of it and treated it was nothing but a chore. One to be done well and in the most efficient way possible but one that just needed to be done.

Others panicked, some sooner some later and had a mental break. This was common and not _necessarily_ bad if you could cope with it well. He had been expecting Jaune to have this but instead, he was remarkably neutral towards the ending of lie and mindset Kage respected.

Then there was the _worst_ response to the killing, happiness. Ruby liked to cut, slice, tear and explode. She was a literal _red reaper._ She killed for fun in had a ball of a time doing it. This. Was. Bad.

* * *

Kage already had more than enough fires to put out with trying to manage Jaune's own fragile mental state and while his original response to killing was a good omen for their team's future health, Ruby's reaction nearly totally negated it and threw ARKM on the track to insanity.

Ruby loved killing, out of ever reaction it was not only the most unpredictable it was also the worst reaction that she could have a chance made all the less likely give the girls personality.

Ruby was sweet. She saw the best out of everybody and refused to see people as anything but good. Kage blamed himself. He swore that his gambit to placate the girl with cigarettes in what had seemed like a good idea that the time now appeared to have backfired terribly.

The cigarettes probably became addictive to her; this probably set up a chai reaction fo the girl to have an addictive personality! He should have seen the signs! Th way she eats cookies, milk and all sweets! The girl gets addicted like it was nothing! And he had probably just enhanced an already _lousy_ habit.

Now, this combined with a sudden grip of endorphins from an arena fight? The girl was drinking a potent cocktail of pain and lust as an influx of about every other emotion that did the exact opposite of keeping the young girl balanced and instead made for a volatile cocktail of uncertainty and murder with a red cape.

Now despite this Ruby had not made and overt moves against the team. She never attacked him or thank _Oum_ Mika. Who despite everything seemed to have a strange _actual_ affection towards the girl a fact that scared Kage more than any kind of Grimm...

* * *

Kage had been alive for _nineteen_ years by doing three things and three things well.

One. Was to not make stupid decisions. This could be droned on and expanded on for hours on end, but in the end, Kage boiled it down to a straightforward summary. _Don't_ be a hero.

Two. Keeping his head down and his guns up. He knew for a fact that _might made right_ and if he wanted a chance of survival I the world let alone Bastion he needed to shoot _first_ and ask questions _later._

And thirdly, was to be an emotionless and ruthless _pragmatist._ And one of the _least_ pragmatic things he could do was sleeping in a room with a pre-teen girl stressed out of her mind with a destabilized personality, and a fetish for blood all mixed together with a monstrous oversized gardening tool and a possible potential heartbreak that made send her on a killing spree was not comforting. Not at all.

The girl was a ticking time bomb, and one Kage was currently desperately trying to disarm. At first, he had tried cigarettes That failed.

He had than debated taking her out to he shivered internally bond with the girl, but that was before her killing itch came. Then the cigarettes went from something to calm her down after a particularly hard day to a dam necessity to keep her stable.

The girl was smoking damn near a _quarter_ pack of cigarettes a day! And at this rate, she was going to make him have to get more of his damned smokes before necessary! Something his supplier would _not_ find appealing. Not at all...

Then after finding that her mental health was all but gone he had decided that keeping her safe from any more bodily harm might be good for her mental health. After all, if the girl was already down an eye he figured keeping the rest of her matches and in one piece would be a step in the right direction for her stability. That failed spectacularly during the death korps mission when Ruby took two grenades to the face and nearly lost her arms. Luckily the girl seems to have stabilized using Jaune for support. If he wasn't there, Venke shuddered to think of what his friend would do.

As the boy shuddered, there was that word again. Frind. Jaune and Ruby were his friends, and that was bothering him. It's not like Kage didn't' have friends, he did!

He just had very few. Mainly he had three. And while they were to a fault horrible, terrible, horrendous human beings they were good friends. And that was what mattered to him.

Despite his infuriating behavior and terrible attitude Zach Was correct in saying he was his best friend. Kage had known almost all of his life, and the tow was as tight as thieves. He was a liar, a thief, and a murderer. But he was loyal, and Kage respected that.

Hino was also his friend, both of them being in the military cemented their relationship and even well into Bastion, they remained close. Despite his blatant ignoring of her apparent affections toward him, they were still friends, and just that, friends and nothing more.

It's not that he found her unattractive she was drop-dead gorgeous. Beautiful tan skin near hourglass figure coupled with a more than ample chest and but? She was a beautiful young woman but still not his type.

After that came Mika who was more of an obligation than anything else. One that was immortal with an affection for him that defied comprehension and all types of common sense and could not be persuaded to leave him alone…

Either way, he was going to enjoy a day of doing what he did best. Nothing, he was going to sit on his bed stretch out his legs, lay back read a book and-

 _"Kage!_ Can we go somewhere!"

A sharp voice but not _his_ sharp voice said as he looked up to see silver and one baleful red eye glowing at him...

"Go somewhere? Where do you want to go?" Kage asked as life tossed him yet another pitch from left field as the least likely roadblock to his day of relaxation and calm came in the from the even by his definition adorable girl Ruby Rose who was swaying back and forth in an overly cute manner with her scythe gripped behind her back.

"Where do you want to go?"

Kage asked the girl still desperately hoping that he could read his book with some semblance of peace. It was rare enough that he had a day when no one was trying to kill him and Mika was not trying to sexually harras him, and he just wanted dot read his book and relax in the inhumanly soft Bastion beds.

"Somewhere with you! And _only_ you!" The girl said as Jaune began to stand up before sitting back down on his bed as Mika gave her a sharp look as Kage began to sweat a bit.

"Just with me? Don't you want to talk with Jaune-

 _"Nope!_ Today I just want to talk to you and _only_ you!" Ruby said as Kage began to truly sweat. This was bad. Very, very bad. Ruby asking Jaune out? Fine. She liked him it was obvious that she would ask him out.

Mika? Less likely. But still somewhere in the slight realm of possibility, but him?

Ruby had never asked to be alone with Kage in her entire time in Bastion, and the fact that she was doing so now was deeply concerning.

"Is there something that you need from me?"

"Yup! I need you and only you!" The girl said she began to panic. Why the hell does she need me?! Kage though s Jaune cocked him an eyebrow as his sharp blue eyes starting him s Mika slowly pulled out her hatchet.

"Is there something that only I can do?"

"Yup! You are the only one who can help me! So let's go!"

"Rub-

"Come on! Come on! Come on!" Ruby said pulling on his arm as she began to pull him like a happy child as the boy began to sweat as he allowed himself to be pulled up by the smaller girl.

He had half a mind to say that he had business to do but he knew for a fact that Ruby had the patience of an elephant and would simply wait him out until it was proven that he did, in fact, have nothing to do and would proceed to drag him away to who knows where….

"Then where are we-

"It's a surprise!"

"Ruby-

"No buts!"  
"B-  
 _'Nope!"_  
"Ru-  
 _"Nope!"_

"I-  
 _"Nope!_ Come on no more whining Kage let's go!"

The girl said displaying a shocking display of strength as the girl pulled him off the bed as Jaune smiled.

"Keep her in one piece," Jaune said as Kage nodded.

"Sure thing boss…

"Have fun you two! Don't get married!"

Mika yelled as Kage sighed heavily as the smaller girl dragged him out of the room and slammed the door behind them.

"Well, that was unexpected…

Jaune said as he finally realized that since anytime he was left alone in a room with Mika who looked at him with a Cheshire grin as she closed her eyes and smiled.

"So Mika! What are you doing… today?" Jaune asked weakly as the girl cocked her head at him.

"Mika?"

 _"..."_

"Is that good?"

 _"..."_

"Well, I'm just going to shine my sword and-

"Jaune we need to _talk,_ " Mika said as she apparated from her side to Jaune's bed as he _screamed….._

* * *

 _FWAP!_

 _"Again."_

 _"FESH!"_

 _"Again."_

 _"CH!"_

 _"SLERP!"_

 _"Again."_

 _"GRR!"_

 _"FWAM!"_

 _"Again!"_

Kage said as he beat back the girl she was sent flying backward as the boy beat her back as she crashed into the Bastion grass outside of the school as the boys sent her flying back with a side hit.

"Again," Kage repeated as the girl grimaced as her eye glared at him.

 _"Damn it!"_

"Again."

"I am!" Ruby yelled as she disappeared in a blue or rose petals as she began to circle around Kage.

She was like a whirlwind of blood, a crimson typhoon sprinting at him in a sharp turn as the boy keep his feet balance as he raised his hands at the girl.

"Don't wast your movements. If you see a chance to attack."

Kage said light brown eyes tracking the girl as she gritted her teeth and turned into a blur of rose petals.

"Tak this!"

The girl said as she sprinted forward in a whirlwind torpedo attack as Kage smirked as he pivoted his foot striking out his hand grabbing the girls wrist before gripping the girls arm making her eep!

Before he planted his feet and slammed her into the ground with a heavy thump as the girl smacked into the grass making her groan in pain.

"Owww….

"If you see an opportunity to attack you should-

"I know attack… I just wish I could hit you."

"You can just switch it up a bit, alsowhen an enemy is telling you to attack that you should probably not do it," Kage asked as he held out a hand making the girl grimace.

To Kage's great relief the girl had invited him out not to do anything semi-intimate yet instead to train.

Ruby had been worried about her hand to hand combat abilities and seeing as how Kage was in her opinion, one of the best hand to hand combatants in Bastion she wanted him to train her in non-Crescent Rose related combat.

The last mission with the Death Korps had lead to her being injured with her arms nearly taken from the girl, and as such she realized how useless in a fight without her scythe she was and she was refusing to be a burden to her team, so she wanted to train.

Kage respected that in the young girl. Anyone that wanted to improve herself was worthy of his time. And the girl was trying. She had spent the last two hours throwing herself at him in a series of a whirlwind of attacks refusing to let him have a moment's rest as she bombarded him.

Unfortunately for her, she kept charging him head on. Only recently decided to strike him from the sides and back as she began her torpedo charge against him to no avail. In the reapers defense, she did have quite the advantage in hand to hand.

One. She was fast. Ridiculously so. She moved in a blur of rose petals people off in a nigh untrackable wave of roses making it almost impossible for him to track the girl. She was fast that was good. If she kept it up and gained some technique, she could be an actual terror in hand to hand.

If she learned some real fighting style, CQC hand to hand military routines things he could teach her she would go from borderline harmless to a real threat. That and she need to gain some muscles. The girl might be a blur of speed but fi her punches or kci didn't pack any umph! Behind them then it didn't matter how good her skills even if she packed the force of hurricane it would be the equivalent of a pinprick batting against a wall.

"Good job Red you just need to work on your style," Kage said lifting the girl off of her feet as she sighed heavily.

"I know, I know. I'm terrible at this. I'm just not used to fighting without Crescent Rose!"

"That's actually not what I was going to say. I was going to say you need to learn some real technique first then you could toss a decent punch."

"You really think so?"

Ruby asked as she looked up silver eye shining as her red one widened.

"You just need to put on some muscle mass, and you will be good. You just need to hit the weights a bit."

He said as the girl tried to glare at him but being Ruby, her glare had the effectiveness of a water hose against a car window. As it rolled off of him.

"Don't worry Red you just to work at it and you'll be better," Kage said as the girl's once-angry stare become a small smile as she nodded her head to him.

"Yes!" Ruby said as she got back into her combat stance as the boy raised his hand.

"Keep your first up spread your legs. Now _again._ "

* * *

"What do you want to talk about?" Jaune asked chuckling nervously as she slid onto Jaune's bed becoming uncomfortably close to the boy she pulled the collar of his shirt.

"You." The girl said plainly as Jaune gulped heavily.

"Me?"  
"You."

"Why do you want to talk to me?" Jaune asked as the girl cocked her piercing emerald eyes to him.

"Why can't I talk to my leader? Is there something strange about it?" "No… I was just wondering why you came to my bed to do it."

Jaune said scooting back only for Mika to scoot forward until he hit the Bastion wall and gulped.

"It's comfortable."

"Every Bastion bed is comfortable. Why did you slide to mine?"

"Becuase I want to do this."

Mika said before reaching out her hands and cupping the boy's face holding it up to him as she held his eye.

She' so soft! Jaunt gulped as he felt the ring's silly of skin press against his neck and chine as the girl's delicate hands. "Jaune there's something wrong with you."

"What's that?" Jaune asked as the girl held his glare.

"You think you are a bad leader. That is not acceptable. You also believe Ruby is in danger from her self."

"I… I think Ruby is going down a dark path. She's killing people for fun-

"You are ignoring the question. What are you hiding from me? You are holin something back from the team. What's wrong?' The girl asked as ht boy held her stare as he put his sword down.

"I'm not hiding anything from you or the team."

"I though an Arc never lies?"

"We don't."

"Well you are the first, and you are good. You almost tricked Kage, but he's on to you. What are you hiding from us?"

"I… I'm not-

"You are."

Mika said interrupting Jaune as she held his face.

"You didn't-

"You were going to say that you were a bad leader. You think that you are unworthy of being a leader. This is not ok."

"Mike I'm…

"Jaune you are beyond worthy to be our leader. You are strong brave, and you have actively tried to keep me and Kage alive. I appreciate that more than you ever know."

"I'm- ''Look Jaune. I know that you have confidence problems but let me spell it out for you. You are our leader. You led us through the Cacklers on hill 76, through the Death Korps mission in the hell of the trench you were there. You never back down never ran away. You were not only strong you stayed alive and more importantly than that you kept us alive."

"Mika. I did what I had t.L I don't know what I'm doing! I'm just trying to keep everybody alive and-

"No, you are keeping us alive. There is no argument in my mind that you are the best choice for a leader."

"Really? Not Kage?"

"Kage is a good soldier. He is a better commander."

"Then why is he not the leader?"

"Because he doesn't want to be. And he would actively resist the role."

"You jumped into it ready or not and have mad the best out of it regardless."

"Even if he would be better?"

"It's not about who is better. It's about who will do the job. Kage would not do the job you will. And you will not back away."

"But-

"You are out leader for better or worst. And as long as you continue to keep doing it your in until I find someone better or you die."

"Thanks?'

"Don't thank me yet! If I find someone better or you fail, I will put my hatchet in the back of your skull."

" You have a real sense of humor you know?"

"I'm not joking. Keep leading us and keep us alive and I will keep you and Ruby alive."

"And if I fail?"

"You _die._ But hey, if you do die I'll be sure to have kage keep Ruby alive alright?"

* * *

"I'm _pooped!_ " Ruby shouted as she laid painting her lungs out on the Bastion grass. The sun was setting low in the sky pain it a fierce and bloody orange is the girl wheezed heavily.

"You did good kid. Real good." Kage said as the girl smiled happily at him.

He meant the praise too. Ruby had gone from landing no hits to surprise him with a desperate grappling attack that had sent him spiraling back onto the grass before he wrestled control from her as she tried to kick out his legs. An offense that would have worked if she got some muscles into her.

Even now Kage was messaging Hino to see if she would take Ruby under her wing in her work out. The girl had muscle making of taut wire, and she could definitely build up the reaper.

"You did well kid. You keep it up, and you'll get up there in no time." Kage said as Ruby smiled a happy smile as her good eye closed and her augmetic one squeezed shut adorably as he helped her up. Lifting her up effortlessly as he pulled the girl up inot the setting Bastion sun.

"Come on Red, let's go home for a smoke yeah?"

Kage asked as the girl grew a bright smile as she nodded once.

"Yeah!" The girl said as they began to walk off into the gloom.

* * *

Today was going well. Jaune thought as he walked back to his bed. He and Mika talked and worked out things out with them. Kage and Ruby were on much better terms, and all of all things were just going well for team ARKM. They just need to pick out what furniture they would be getting an-

 _BANG!_ Whatever thoughts Jaune was having were interrupted as the very door of team ARKM's room exploded outward and flew at him at full speed….

* * *

Well explode is a somewhat complicated word. As it was more of the door decided that it would rather be a wall as it flew out from the side, as a slab of pure cement slammed into Jaune's face flashing his aura and striking him full body like a miniature freight train and sending him crashing into the floor.

 _WHAP!_

The was a _sickening_ sound of bones crunching and teeth breaking as the door smacked into Jaunes. Forcing blood out of his mouth and breath from his lungs and sending him twirling into the air. He hung in mid-air for three full seconds before Jaune hit the floor with a messy wet _thump_ as his teeth cracked, and he spat out a wad of sickly scarlet blood the world was a blur of light and sound as aloud piercing ring entered his skull as his ears were ringing.

He felt his broken bones as he knew he had been _severely_ injured. As he looked down he felt his heart freeze as he saw himself through the bleary pain filled vision. One leg was twisted the completely wrong direction as one arm thing loosely from his side.

As he opened his eyes now, the world was a blurry sharp ringing filled his ears as he looks at his now smoked filled room followed by gunshots! There was shooting in the ARKM dorm as Jaune heard the harsh _cracks!_ Of _Cresent Rose_ followed by the harsh bang of Kage's bolt pistols followed by the sharp crack of sniper fire filled his ears.

Strangely Jaune did _not_ hear the familiar whoosh of _Chamberlain_ followed by the familiar screams of the dying as only the harsh sound of gunfire followed by what sounded like splitting muscles filled the air.

As He wondered about Mika's safety as the sound of gunfire erupted around him as he attempted to sign.

As Jaune struggled to get up a shadow fell over him as he felt something crash into him.

Instinct alone saved his life. As he lifted his shield in the nick of time deflecting a sword strike off its top that would have taken his head from his neck before coughing up a thick layer of blood.

As the unknown, figure slammed into Jaune's shield as he gritted his teeth as the figure bored down on him. Jaune roared sliding his shield on the side causing the figure to be taking with him as it clashed its sworn dint the ground creating a wave of sparks as Jaune charged.

He jumped on the figure slamming his shield into his face shattering it as blood filled the air as bones cracked. Jaune roared at the top of his lungs as slammed his shield into the figure's throat slamming it into the ground before raising up his shield and crashing it down on its face.

 _FISHT!_  
 _FISHT!_  
 _FESHT!_  
Jaune bought down his shield three times. Each strike of the weapon spilt flesh, boke bone and pulped bones as he screamed at the top of his lung adrenaline pumping through his veins as he brought the shield down for one final strike finally squashing the face of the one male identified attacker as blood covered his body more voice entered his ears, screams guns to as more and more figures enter the smoke-filled doorway he heard Kage shout.

 _"It's a raid!"_

Kage yelled as dark figures ran into the dorm room as corse dense smoke clogged up the air as the sound of gunfire and the sound of human screaming filled the air...

* * *

 **An: Well there we go! The next Bastion chapter down! It's raid night boys! So let's see where this goes! Until the next time, Jaune Torchwick is next? Or I _might_ do some Game on. I don't know we'll see! Until next time have an Omake.**

* * *

 **Omake. Here of Remnant!**

 **Part one: Bad beginnings...**

"Where are we going again, Ren?"

"Atlas commissar."

The quiet phlegmatic man said in his usual unflappable tone as the tall boned sighed. He had been asking his aid the same question for the past twenty minutes but to his _great_ lack of surprise had gotten the exact same response time and time again.

He was going to Atlas. To be specific he was going to be assigned to the Atlas one hundred and eight infantry unit. A mix of _two_ other units that had been decimated during the Vacuo blitz after the Grimm had overwhelmed the forces there causing heinous losses to the Imperium of Remnant.

"Are you sure?" Jaune asked hoping desperately that Monty for once did _not_ have a sick sense of humor and was not going to toss him into a frozen hell hole for once in his miserable life. Jaune had been in Atlas _once_ before. And that that ended with him running for his life while balk faced skeletal monsters chased after him firing viridian beams of death only for him to make an absolutely ludicrous jump through an ancient ancient Archaic portal and being rescued by _hunters._

As much as Jauen did _not_ trust the superhuman soldiers with anything besides blunt force tools and killing anything that refused to accept humanity s the dominant life form on the planet, he did _have_ to admit they did have their uses. And killing skeletal old world horrors was was one of them. Jaune realized as he looked out the bullheads window.

Outside the _warm_ interior of the craft was a messy torrent of ice and sleet as the ship was buffeted by gale force winds and extreme turbulence generated by the Atlassian mountain ranges. Though luckily Jaune felt nary a drop of it as he sipped his tea. Onboard inertia dampeners silenced all but the _most_ severe of the turbulence as the flew through the air.

"Why are we getting assigned her again?" Jaune asked his second who stood loyally by his side as he kept a calm filling the room with an air of dignity and respect along with a pungent body odor that would have made most _Grimm_ turn their noses and run but Jaune was long used to Ren's bounteous _aroma_.

"You are to go and quell the disputes between the former Atlas three hundred and first light infantry and the two hundred and fifth lancers."

"Why are they calling me in to do this? What's the reason two gutted units can't get along like reasonable adults?"

"It appears that they were both single gendered units, sir. And they are having _issues_ playing nice with one another."

His aid said in a phlegmatic tone as Jaune rubbed his head in his palm. "Monty why _me?"_

"Commissar?"

"Why me Ren? Why do _I_ have to go solve this mess? We had such a good thing going! Back in Vale! It was just us, Yang, and Fox! Even if she couldn't stop lighting crap on fire and Fox couldn't play craps for his life we had it good!"

" _Good_ commissar? How so?"

"Well, no one was shotting at us for one." He said flippantly betting and winning that Ren's natural deference to authority merely made him shrug to an otherwise _potential_ heretical sentence.

"We are all soldiers of his majesty. Our commands command us to fight so we fight. Is that not always the case?"

"Would you do _anything_ that Ozpin told you?"

"Of course commissar. Without question." The man said as Jaune shrugged into his shoulder and waited for the craft to arrive.

When they _did_ arrive at the Atlas docks Jaune was in an _especially_ irritable mood as he fought to keep his hat on through the howling Atlas winds.

He felt a strong urge to shoot the first soldier he saw for making him have to freeze his ass off in the blistering cold of the Atlas blizzard as he walked down the loading dock where the _two_ representatives of the one hundred and eight awaited them.

Although _any_ summary execution thoughts were quick dismissed as he saw the absolutely _adorable_ girl as she was _far_ too young to be a woman. Not even a _young_ woman waiting for him. She was short clad in silver winter camouflage flak armor fitter over hastily pulled don dress uniform. She had silver eyes and black hair as she practically beamed at him.

"Ruby Rose! Active commander of the one hundred and eight!" The girl said as Jaune grimaced.

"That phrase is missing a _sir_ Miss Rose," Jaune said fixing her his _number two_ glare as the girl _eeped!_ loudly.

"I'm sorry sir! I didn't mean to!"

"Mean to?"

"Mean to sir!"

She said quaking in her boots as Jaune sighed. At first, he had thought that the regiment had simply set out a pretty face to make him like them a tactic he _hated_ vehemently. But after talking to Ruby? Wass it the girl was far too genuine to carry an ulterior motive. And Jaune knew how to spot a disingenuousness character. Mainly because _he_ was one himself. And a damned good one if he had to admit. But that was neither here nor there. As the young _girl_ introduced herself Jaune turned to the breathing mountain behind her.

"And _you_ are?" Jaune asked gesturing to the absolute _mountain_ of a man standing a foot behind her.

Like his ally, he wore standard empire based white flak armor. Though his was admittedly much larger than hers. While Jaune doubted that they even made uniforms that small and was becoming more and more convinced it was a school uniform refitted for combat used.

Also unlike the young _girl_ , he was a grizzled veteran, his lightly tanned face was covered in scars and wounds that spoke o years on the front line Also his entire chest was covered with medals, speaking of years of campaigning as he was somewhere near captain rank.

"Yatsuhasi Daichi. _Second_ in command of the one hundred and eight. It is a pleasure to meet you. _Sir."_

The giant of a man said practically spitting out the word _second._ As he added the sir as more of an afterthought than a note of respect.

Instantly Jaune saw several things wrong with the two. So far despite being number one and two in their respective regiment, they had _not_ introduced one another. And had so far refused to speak to one another. A bad sign as Jauen began to think aloud.

"Miss Rose? You are active commander correct?" Jaune asked the girl with a hand under his chin as she nodded her head.

"Yes, sir!"

"How long have you been in the military for?"

 _"Three!_ "

"Three _what?"_

" _Months..._

The girl trailed on as Jaune did a spit take.

"Only three months!? And they put _you_ in charge of a regiment!?"

Jaune balked as the man Yatsuhasi nodded.

"That's what I've been saying."

"Why?"

Jaune aksed her as the girl blushed and looked at her feet.

"I made sergeant in my first month of training! And after that, we lost most of your command staff during the blitz...

"So did _we_ ," Yatsuhais added as Ruby _glared_ at him. It was a pointless and ineffective look but Jaune let it slide.

" _We_ then needed an active commander and I was the senior officer left alive so...

Jaune sighed as he put the pieces together.

"They put you in charge and even if you have almost _no_ combat experience they made _you_ the leader."

"Yes...

The girl admitted as Yatsuhshi growled at her.

"She hadn't even seen a Grimm until the blitz let alone commanded a full unit. Sir, she is _clearly_ unqualified to lead us. I request you move her from command and put me in charge instead. I have both the combat skills and the experience to lead us."

"Hey! I _earned_ my rank!"

"By being the _last_ one alive."

"That means I am skilled!"

"It means you are lucky, or a _coward."_

" I am _not_ a coward! You are ju-

BANG!

Jaune fired his pistol into the air silencing them both as he sighed heavily.

"In case you forgot _I_ am the commissar and I will make the decision. Now stop bickering and follow me. We will discuss command reassignments if ther are _any_. Back in the base. Where it's _warm!_ Now come on we have work to do."

Jaune said as the two soilder mollifed follwed him heads down as Ren trudged loyall along luggage in two. OMontyty why me? Jaune thought as they walked forward to the base and out of the blizzard...


	19. Pillar one Bird's of a feather

**_AN_ : Here it is! ANother Bastion chapter! Filled with death, love and awkward contract negotiations! I got the next _few_ arcs of the story worked out so fear not! Don't worry about the pacing because I finally paved out the path from here till the _inevitable_ return to Beacon as the story kicks into gear. Expect more death and pain as Bastion takes it a toll of those who live in its depths. And as always enjoy...**

* * *

 _"It's a raid!_ " The voice of Kage yelled as the harsh acrid smell of gunpowder entered Jaune's nostrils. Blood fell from his mouth in harsh rough gasps as he coughed up bright red blood on the floor, spilling brightly onto the dead body of the man he had bashed to death with his shield.

His broken skull was splattered over the ground in a pink-grey mess as Jaune turned up to the smoky haze filled view as the harsh sound of Crescent Rose followed by the loud, brutal reports of Kage bol pistol entered his pain filled vision as another shadow fell over him.

" _Gah!"_ Jaune gasped as sword clashed with his sending a shower of spark in the air as his muscles tensed and rippled as another unknown figure attacked him. The figure bored down onto him attempting to overpower him with the sheer force of strength as Jaune hissed at him. His leg bur with pain as white-hot agony lanced through his body as his twisted leg screams for release as Jaune glared at the man in the back combat webbing.

"Why are you doing this!?" Jaune asked as he gripped his sword in backward grip taking the man's sword down to the ground before flicking it backward slicing him across the throat slitting it making him gugel in death as Jaune kicked him back.

As soon as he fell backward, another figure jumped forward as he slashed down at Jaune with a downward thrust as Jaune met him with a horizontal slash meeting him and gritting his teeth as the man tired of striking him down.

"Why are you in my room!?" Jaune shouted before dropping his sword punching the man in the face, with an aura infused punch.

The man as Jaune could now tell as his pain filled gasped as he took the punch stagger backward before Jaune lunged for sticking him in the chest taking them both to the floor.

In a squabbling pile of limbs, as the man hissed at Jaune who was still obfuscated by the thick clouds of smoke in the room as Jaune twisted his sword making the man cry out in pain as he cut his spine and sliced his heart before being smashed in the face backward sending him flying back. Buying him a seconds respite to hiss in agony and wonder what the hell was going on!? As another shadow fell over him.

As once again another man has taken his place and locke sword with Jaune. This time the man was smarter and kicked at Jaune's already broken leg creating a sickening breaking sound as white-hot agony lanced in his body, as Jaune's leg twisted in a decisively unhealthy manner making him cry out in agony as he fell to a knee. As his sword dropped as the man lunged forward weapon outreach to strike into Jaune's neck before his own head exploded in a red mist.

 _CRACK!_

The man's head turned into an pulpy mist as he fell forward to his knees as his body barreled into Jaune sending them both crashing along the cold mountain floor before Jaune threw him to the floor as the sound of whooshing flame filled the air as Mika finally got her former workings the horrible sound of human screaming fall by the stench of cooking meat filled the air as the sounds of the attack finally stopped as the sound of clanking boots filled the air as the towering form of Kage walked into view.

"Jaune! Are you ok?!" Kage asked as his hard brown eye glaring at Jaune as his already crimson armor was soaked in blood, and he was coated with gore as he stalked forward bolt pistols drawn.

"Yeah! I'm fine what the hell was that?!" Jaune asked as he kept a hard steely haze toward the Jaune as he looked to the blow open door that was now filled with an raging white fire as Mika had absolutely choked the team ARKM dorm entrance before stopping the attackers.

"Ruby! Mika! Where are-

"I'm here Jaune!" Ruby said as she walked forward from the hazy mist, her slight boy bruises and covered in blood as she looked like someone had put her into a whirlpool as she looked she had been shaken but not seriously harmed as a loud chirping voice came in as swung her hatchet in a wide arc as she leaped into the center of the room.

"We are fine Jaune! We just had a bit of incident on the front! In case you didn't notice!"

Mike cried as Ruby coked her head at her.

"Mika the door flew off the handles. I mean it smacked into Jaune-

 _"Jaune!?"_

Ruby shouted nearly teleporting to Jaune as she saw he broke down face smashed nose twin black eyes broken jaw above a clearly damaged upper body and one leg that was entirely twisted the other way around as she had a panic attacker her best friend in the world was looking like he was near death as Jaune really did like he was about to die.

"What the hell was that?"

Jaune asked as Kage sighed heavily as he put his pistols to his head before sighing.

"That, was a _raid_ ," Kage said as he turned to the burning doorway as Jaune felt a cold hand grip his chest as he had a profound feeling that whatever the hell happened it was just the beginning, and that team ARKM was in for one hell of a wake-up call…

* * *

"So you were attacked in your beds?" Miss Heil said as she eyed Jaune with her bleeding crimson eyes as Jaune gulped at the dean.

The room was a broken bloody mess, scorched in an over a dozen places as a darkened blacked marble lined the floor as team ARKm' door had been cleanly blown out and the floor was colored the color of Ruby's cloak as Miss Heil eyed him dismissively.

"Yes. We were attacked in our room. We fended them off and we all area live."

"Jaune needs medical attention!" Ruby shouted as Mis Heil silence her with a glare

"After his report. Mister Arc. Did you know these attackers?"

"No."

"Did you attack _anyone_ else before his?"

"No."

"Fine. Thank you for reporting this to me, now go to the doctor. It would be highly problematic if you died as you are." The dean said as she sighed once and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Good news!" Felicia said as Jaune sat on the metal gurney as he stole the spotlight of injured ARKM member and not Ruby who was fretting next to him as Felicia still clad in her robes read out his report.

"Good news as?" Jaune asked as the woman cracked a crooked smile to him.

"You are going to live!"

Felicia said laughing as Jaune gulped.

"The bad news?"

"Well. Your face was broken _literally_. Your nose was smashed in such a way that I needed to do minor corrective surgery to fix it. Your jaw was completely broken, and the temporary fix I have packed on it will only last so long."

Felica said checking off several items off a clip bard as her face was hidden in the plain mild robe she always wore adorned with a metal skull on a cog as iconography on is as checked off her list.

"You will need to come back here on my word for the final surgery. Also, your legs were nearly torn in half by the door, a few tons of solid rock going over forty miles and hours tend to do that to you. Be lucky your aura was there to save your life, otherwise, you would have been smashed to paste!"

Felicia said with a grin showing Jaune a picture of a horribly deformed leg as the woman checked his box with his name on it.

"That will take up to two weeks to heal completely but don't worry! Bastion has advanced surgical techniques to get you back on your feet in no time!"

 _"Advanced?_ " Jaune said already grimace as he looked at his leg still in the cast as the nurse grinned at him.

"We'll have you up and on your feet before you leave this room! I just need you to stay still for a bit." Felicia said as she picked up a large syringe with a bright orange liquid inside as Jaune gulped…

* * *

 _Hotfix._ As Felicia called it was one the most painful and disconcerting procedures Jaune had done to him in his life, as he stumbled back to his dorm under the guard of the team, ARKM as they all walked back to their dorm. Apparently, whenever Bastion students got injured to the point that they did not need constant care, they were given a _hotfix_. So to speak.

It was basically a highly experimental surgical procedure that could _temporarily_ fix nearly any type of broken bones, limb displacement or really any injury that did not leave your body destroyed and had have you sorted out and on your feet in an hours time.

While the surgery did have its advantages, it came with more than a few disadvantages. One the hotfix as it was called was not an instant thing. It would get you up and walking in an hour, but Jaune would need to go back to Felicia for some time for his injury to fully heal.

It put him on his feet but he was weaker than usual, and any further injury to his legs or jaw would _severely_ impact his healing as his aura worked overtime to keep him alive.

A wave of guilt fell of Jaune as he felt Ruby's iron grip on his hand. The girl had refused to let go of his hand since the attack as she blamed herself for his injuries, and despite his insistence that was not she was adamant at preventing any further harm from coming to her leader. She really is my best friend. Jaune thought as he looked up to the dull Beacon hallways, Kage and Mike were falling them guns out an-

"Kage."

"Yes, _boss?_ "

"The hell happened back in our room?"

"A _raid_."

"You said the before what the hell is a raid?"

"It's the _downside_ to our popularity."

Kage said as Jaune cocked an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Rumors _boss._ Bastion is despite everything a school first, and prison second. And just like every other school people are worried about reputations."

"Reputations? Like what?"

"Remember how in Bastion as long as you do not interfere with the school's curriculum anything is legal?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well as in most cases begin like is good and being hated is bad, to this rule Bastion is no exception, It is better to be popular then to not but popularity is a double-edged sword. After the last Death Korps mission, our reputation skyrocketed. People think we are some kind of heroes that went through hell and back and came out unscathed for all of it."

"But that's not true! We got hurt! Ruby got hurt! And how does being a hero mark us?!"

"Because _boss_ , while being popular is good it also paints a target on our backs."

"A target? How so?"

"It's like I said Bastion is a school and like in most schools reputation is king. The strong survive the weak don't. And while us looking strong might deter others from attacking it also brings the attention of glory seekers and bigger predators."

"We've _marked_ ourselves as the big boys in the first years. That means that every aspiring first-year team wanting to make a name for themselves and who have either the balls or the brains to do so might be gunning for us. Along with any lower ranked second years unhappy with rising stars and determined to keep their place secure."

"People are going to try to kill us because we did a mission?! That doesn't make sense!"

Ruby squeak as Kage rubbed his head.

"It doesn't have to Red, yet it does. We are strong that is a fact. _Everyone_ wants to be strong, and if they kill us, they are making a point, that in even the best can die. And if they succeed in killing us it buffers their reputation and the cycle continues ever forward."

"On the bright side, only the first and second years will most likely target us. Third and fourth years won't take their time to."

Kage said as a cold hand ran over team ARKM as the four students entered their freshly repaired dorm with a brand new stone door as Jaune opened the door as team _ARKM_ went back to bed…

* * *

"I can't sleep," Ruby said as she sat next to Jaune on his bed, really their bed as they spent each night together. It had been the second night since the original raid, and team ARKM had an unusually tense atmosphere about hem.

They were on edge and shook and not rested; they had decided to spent the days training outside of combat class though even without mandatory Death Korps training they still went on runs. Old habits die hard and all, and now they were trying to go to sleep.

"Don't worry Ruby. _Nothing's_ going to happen to you. Not while I'm here ok?" Jaune asked as the girl nodded her head yawning adorably as her fake her shut closed.

"Thanks, Jaune I could kiss you, you know?" Ruby asked as her breathing caught in her chest as Jaune gave her an unreadable face before breaking into a laugh.

"I _love_ you too Ruby. Now get some sleep ok?" Jaune said entirely missing the girls face go as red as her cape as she turned into her pillow blushing so hard she thought she would burst as she turned into her palms.

 _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ Ruby cursed internally feeling like she could burst at any moment as her eye _spoke._

" **I told you it would work. Keep up the _act_ , and he's as good as yours."**

"I know! I know! It's just embarrassing!" Ruby said turning into he palms as she closed her eyes and went to sleep...

* * *

 _BANG!_

Jaune woke with a start as the door to team ARKM"s room was blown in three as yellow lighting shot into the room as the door was blown in three as three small black metallic canisters fired into the room.

"It-

Jaune never finished that sentence as his eyes were instantly blinded by a searing, blinding white light as he screamed in pain as his eyes went numb as an awful ringing noise entered his ears. It was terrible, Jaune was entirely blinded by white light and ting noise as he screamed in pain as he rolled over on the bed as his world went white. Followed by him holding his ears as he rolled back into his bed as he creamed.

The ringing was beyond deafening as the harsh sound of bolt pistols filled his air, followed by the insanely soft body of ruby pressed into him as he felt sniper cartridges hitting his face as Ruby was forced back into his body as _Crescent Rose_ fired repeatedly.

Jaune knew what was happening; they were being attacked, his friends were in danger. Fighting for their lives as the fired into an unseen enemy. As he felt Ruby firing into the enemy the presence of her was suddenly gone as she vanished followed by a terrifying _WHUMP CRACK!_

As Jaune felt a massive fist hit his back as he was tossed to the dorm floor as _something_ slammed into the end of the wall sending him to the floor and skirting across it as the sound of weapons fire filled the room.

Jaune tired to get up but the harsh _WUMP CRACK!_ Of heavy weapons fire filled the room as Jaune felt the urge to leap up and joining the fight. Luckily weeks of Death Korps training kicked in, and he forced his head down as he began crawling across the floor.

A sound decision as he felt several telltale whips of bullets passing over his head, as the heat from solid slugs whizzed by his head as he kept his head as far to the floor as humanly possible.

The deafening sound of gunfire filled his ears his vision was still painstakingly white. As whatever blinding devices the attackers had used had blinded him in what he hoped was temporary as he crawled on his stomach.

Before he could even get halfway across the room, he felt rather than saw the shadow that fell over him as he pivoted on his side turn his sword and feeling body impaled itself on it. Instantly Jaune was wheezing as he felt a body impaled on his sword.

Jaune grimaced as the full weight of a body slammed into him fowled by the iron taste of blood as Jaune felt the rich crimson liquid fall freely on his face followed by the horrible sensation of intestines as he ripped _Crocea Mors_ out of the man's stomach gutting him in the process.

 _BANG!_ Jaune cried out in pain as several white-hot pieces of metal impacted him before he felt the temperature in the room shoot to inhumane levels of degree as screams fill his ears as the room went oddly silent.

Instantly strong hands gripped his collar forcing him before he once fights they shook him yelling into his ears as the blind white began to fade before another force tackle him this one small and light as it shook his head viciously as Jaune sighed. The fight was over, but this wasn't the end. Nowhere _near._

* * *

"We _can't_ let this happen!" Jaune yelled as team ARKM sat in their dorm. I was the day after the second raid as it was called as they began to discuss their options.

Team ARKM had so far been assaulted twice in the span of less than a week, and now they were on edge. Ruby was a tittering mess. Refusing to rest in any form as she kept Crescent Rose in sniper from as she held her weapon in the rifle from the biological eye was giving an unhealthy tick as it was a bright bloodshot red, with dark bags under it and her mechanical one was continually scanning the room for threats.

Mika's typically flawlessly straight white hair was frazzled and frayed as she had not had her beauty sleep. As the girl carried her ax in a tense fashion.

Kage actually looked harder than usual. And his eyes refused to leave his guns as Jaune sighed.

"Does anybody have any ideas how we can defend ourselves?" Jaune asked as Mika looked at Kage green eyes alight with curiosity.

"Kage…

"Don't even _suggest_ it," Kage said as Jaune raised his eyebrows.

"What is she talking about Kage?"

"~Boss man!~ Kage knows a way that can stop us from getting raided!" Mika chirped in a cherry tone as Kage glowered at her.

"You do!? Kage, can you help us?" Ruby asked fluttering over to him staring him in his eyes as his usual steely glare faltered for a moment before returning to a somewhat hash level.

"It's not that simple. I have an acquaintance that might be able to help us. Might."

"Kage any help would be useful. Please, we are desperate.' Jaune said s the boy sighed into the palms of his hands.

"Why do I get myself involved?" Kage said alone in his usual monotone voice as he stood up."Come on boss man If I'm doing this I'm not going to see her alone.""Her? Who are we going to see?"

"Somebody who will make it damned impossible for us to be raided again," Kage said as he and Jaune walked out of the new door.

* * *

"Listen to me Jaune when we get there let me do talking ok?"

"Got it. You can count on me."

"Can I? Jaune this is serious when we get there you do _not_ talk. You are not to say a word or speak at all!"

Kage hissed as Jaune blinked at him.

"Just where are we going? And how can she help us not getting attacked?"

"You are about to find out," Kage said as the two boys walked down the early cold and empty Bastion hallway.

* * *

"Venke Kage?! Is that you!?"

An ecstatic voice yelled in shock as Jaune blinked in surprise. Kage had taken him halfway across Bastion. Up and down spiraling staircases and they had made so many turns down the barren hallways that Jaune had no idea where the hell they were going as the finally ended up here.

If Jaune had to honest here was not what he had been expecting not at all. He had been led to a small door that was covered in red beads with some type of strange symbol on it.

Jaune felt himself _desperately_ wishing for Ren's insight on all things strange. The boy may have been quiet as a church mouse but he was insanely smart as Kage proceed to knock on the door behind the beads, or he at least _tried_ to before two boys in strange flowing white robes opened it before he could touch it.

"She's expecting

"You Kage

"Go inside

"Please make yourself at home.

Twin albino boys said finishing each other's sentences in perfect harmony as Jaune felt a series of disquiet enter his body as Kage hissed into his ear.

"Remember not a word. Once we step through that door only I talk. You stay silent even if she asked you a _direct_ question ok?"

Kage hissed as they walked past the line of beads and into a shockingly warm room.

"Sure?" Jaune said nervously as the two entered the room which defied all expectations.

* * *

Unlike the normal brutally efficient and sparse Bastion rooms Jaune had entered into a room that could only be described as the _lap_ of decadence. There was a large plush red carpet covering the floor of the room that was so soft and comfortable followed by flowing tapestries depicting art of every type and from, from fierce battles against the Grimm to epic enchanting rune scapes.

The air was thick with the heavy smell of incense as heavy scented clouds of smoke hung at eye level making Jaune's eyes water as they passed through the smoke that smelled like fruit along with thick perfumes as Jaune looked to see in the center of the room instead of being a bare spot was instead occupied by a large wooden stage!?

Of all thing where a girl sat on top of it looked down enigmatically at the two strangers in her room. She was seemingly ghost skinned like almost everybody in Bastion, apparently, have a personal grudge against all thing melanin as she eyed the newcomer into her room.

She was covered in a deluge of flowing red robes all covered in intricate patterns masterfully woven into tier fabric depicting coins, symbols, and dragons. Her hair was dark purple and her eyes to match. As her hair flowed down well past her ankles as her purple eyes caught Jaune's wide smile split her face.

"Kage! So glad to see you! Did you come to say hi?" The girl said as Jaune had to fight the urge to moan. As the girl took out a long ornate wooden pipe and put it to her mouth and took a long drag out of it putting out a large amount of the scented smoked into the air as she did. _That voice!_ It was like some type of _goddess_ had opened her mouth, as he felt his knees turn to jelly as he was overcome by the overwhelming urge to sink down to his knees and cry tears of joy at the beauty in front of him.

"You could say that," Kage said as he shot Jaune a withering glare that he completely ignored as his eyes looked ready to break.

"It's so good to see you again! Please! Tell me what brings you here today!"

The girl said as Jaune felt his mouth break, he needed to speak! To _yell_ to shout! To scream at the _top_ of his lung to praise the divine beauty in front of him that-

"Sonya. I need a favor." Kage growled shooting Jaune a terrifying glare that the boy was entirely unaware of as he was being _entranced._

 _Sonya!_ That was the goddesses name! The name of this divine creature that Jaune need to sing his praise-

"I am here to ask you a favor," Kage said through gritted teeth as he sank to his knees forcing Jaune to take a knee as the idiot was about to speak and damn them both to a life of slavery.

"Oh? The _great_ Venke Kage has a favor to ask of me? What would the mighty Kage need from a thing like me?"

The girl said cocking her head and taking another long drag from her pipe as Kage pinched Jaune as he felt a slap across his face.

The hell? Jaune thought as he felt like someone had just tossed a bucket of ice water on him. As he blinked rapidly as he finally _saw_ the girl in front of him. She was an anomaly in the best sense. Besides her flowing purple hair, beautiful silken robes and her skin! She unlike the rest of Bastion students who had ghostly pale skin almost to a fault! Her's was a _healthy tanned_ color that was rich and lively.

It was radiant in health and warmth as her face was fit with a perfect smile. Looking at her Jaune could tell that her skin was not a natural tanned color but more like his own white skin but was just heavily sun-filled.

As Jaune looked at the girls whose flowing red robes flowed down as she flashed him a wide smile making him almost fall to his hands and knees as she shifted her lag and Jaune almost coughed.

"I need to ask you for a favor. It's important to me."

Kage said as he saw Jaune gakking as his face flushed to a bright crimson as Kage sighed. Kids. Kage thought irritably as Sonya smiled beautifully at them.

"Oh? What do you need from me? So that you know that I _will_ grant you anything that you require. After all, it would be poor form to deny my _fiance_ a favor correct?" The girl said keeping her impassible smile as Kage balled his fists.

"Sonya, I am _not_ your fiance. You know this." Kage said gritting his teeth as she shuffled her legs spreading them out over her robes and recrossing them leading Jaune to nearly gag as he began to stutter violently.

"Oh? Last time I checked we were still set to be married."

The girl said as Kage sighed. Why the hell is she doing this? I know she likes me but Oum dammit. The kid is going to die.

"I don't remember agreeing to that," Kage said as Sonya smile shuffling her leg nearly making Jaune cry out as Kage sighed in irritation. As kage glared at him, I need to keep the fool's mouth shut. Kage thought as Jaune was about to break.

"Sonya. Why aren't you wearing underwear?"

Kage said with a tired sigh as Jaune was furiously staring at the ground as the boy was nearing his tipping point.

"Oh? Did I forget to put some on? I must have slipped my mind when I heard you coming over. You know I don't need them, especially if you would-

"Sonya. I need your help. Either help me or not."

Kage said with a firm voice as the girl sighed.

"Fine. You are _still_ no fun. I assume you are here because of your little raiding problem?"

"You know I am."

"And that means you want my _semblance_ to help you?"

Sony asked leaning to her side and taking another drag from her pipe and blowing out the smoke in a lazy haze.

"I do."

"So you know what _I_ want in return correct?"

"Yes….

"And are you willing to do it?"

Sony asked leaning her body on one arm as she inhaled from her pipe as she rapped it across an ashtray as she cocked a Chesire smile at him.

"Yes…

Kage said grinding his teeth as the girl clapped her hand as she shot up robes flowing as Jaune finally felt his will break as he nearly asked why the hell did she keep moving her legs!?

As Jaune had a new permanent vision burned into his brain as Sonya picked up what looked to be an ornate scroll of parchment as walked over to Kage.

"You want to not to be raided I want a new _fan_. Sign here."

"Fine."

Kage said as she handed him a feathered pen as Jaune saw a scroll with what seemed like it had thousands of names on it written on ink, as Kage added his own to the ledger. As the girl clapped her hands and smiled heavily.

"All right! I have a new _fan!_ And my number _one_ fan at that! If you ever want a backstage tour just call me!" Sonya said as he stood up gripped Jaune shoulder with an iron grip.

"Come on _boss_ we need to go."

Kage said as Jaune nodded before the girl spoke.

 _"Jaune_ is it? That's a nice name! Kage, why didn't you introduce us? Jaune Arc I am _Sonya Meyers_. It is a _pleasure_ to meet you!"

Sonya said as Jaune opened his mouth before a boot slammed on his foot making him cry internally as he gritted his teeth.

"What is this? Not speaking to me? Don't you now that that's considered rude?"

"Sonya we are leaving."

"Before he has a chance to speak? How rude! Kage, you need to work on your manners." Sonya said as he dragged Jaune out of the room past the albino guards and entered Bastion proper…

* * *

"Kage? What the hell was that? Why did we go to see her? What did she make you sign and why was she not wearing any underwear!"Jaune yelled as Kage rubbed an armored hand through his coarse dark hair as he turned to his leader.

"Jaune that was _Sonya_ Meyers. She is the reason we won't have a raiding problem anymore." Kage said as Jaune blinked owlishly at him.

"How? You said she has a semblance?"

Jaune asked as Kage nodded.

"Does she."

Kage added sarcastically as Jaune glared at him.

"Does she?"

"Jaune she has one of if not _the_ most dangerous semblances in Bastion."

"What is it?"

"She can see the world with her _fans_. Through her eyes."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that if she _touches_ you, she can see through your eyes like they were her own. She will be able to see each and every action that you take. And she can do this to _many_ people. She can see through the eyes of others and has amassed a cult following in Bastion."

"She can see through someone's eyes?"

"Yes. And if you so much as _talk_ to her. She can convince you to sign up wither her adding to her _cult."_

"Wait, I thought she needed you to just make skin contact with her to use you, why did she make you sign a piece of paper? What has that got to do with anything?"

"It's just her way of gaining fans. She uses this unique ability to become near ubiquitous and has as such carved out a nice niche here in Bastion."

"Wait if she has to touch you how does she spread?"

"Well, that's the thing. She's touched a _lot_ of people. In her early days where she and some rather _unique_ Bastion nursing staff with loose morals and _way_ to much free time came up with a way to amplify her semblances power."

"Amplify? How so?"

" Using sketchy technology and several human rights issues, to put her into perspective out of almost everybody in Bastion she has gained sight of nearly all of the student body. She sees and hears _everything_ that they do. And is somehow able to process the information without it breaking her mind in two."

"She's spying on everybody? But why?"

" _Saftey_. She sells her service as an information broker of sorts. And since she learned practically everyone's secrets she's nigh on invincible. The signing thing is just a memento from her old life before Bastion when she still had _fans._ "

"So she blackmails the entire student body?"

"More or less."

"Wait! Doesn't that mean that she can see through _your_ eyes now? What if she spies on us!"

"Don't worry about that. Me and her have a _relationship_ of sorts. She won't sell us out, I _hope_."

Kage added under his breath as Jaune gulped.

"So she'll stop attacks from coming our way?"

"No. She simply agreed to tell me if anyone is going to attack us. She will notify us beforehand allowing us to not be surprised again."

"How will she know if we are getting attacked? She's looking at the _entire_ school, right? How the hell does she sort out all the relevant visions from the random ones?"

"Practice. Years and _years_ of practice."

"So she's on our side?"

 _"No_ way. She's just helping me, and you benefit from proximity."

"What did she mean by fiance back there? Are you two really getting married?"

"No. She thinks we are and I do admit I am _somewhat_ to blame for that but that's a story for another day."

"You have a harem you know that? You have three girls who like you, Mika, Hino and now Sonya? Why are you so popular?"

Jaune asked giving a rare shot at humor in his dark times as Kage cocked his head.

"Jaune. I'll tell you this once. Relationships built on polyamory are rarely successful and are _not_ what you read about in books or see on tv. It's not worth it and I am _not_ looking for romance. Not yet least." Kage said sighing as he felt his collar around his neck.

"For now we need to _spread_ the word."

"About?"

"The fact that Sonya is looking out for us. Like I said this is a school, and schools _gossip_. If people learn that we have the All seeing eye looking out for us, they won't even bother to attack us. The good thing about our reputation is the people who _want_ to kill us can't. And the ones who can don't _want_ to. It's a _win-win._ "

* * *

'Ruby! What happened!?" Jaune asked as the panicked Reaper's voice came over the scroll. Jaune was in team ARKM's room as the team's forge as they decided to bring in the machine over the churro box much to Mika's dismay as they loaded the large thing into the center of the room before a frantic call from Ruby came in.

Apparently Ruby needed to make new bullets for _Crescent Rose_ her Beacon supply was _finally_ dying out and had asked for someone to come with her to the Bastion forge. Jaune had originally offered to go but was forced to stay behind to oversee the forge's delivery and installation as apparently a team leaders input was required so she and Kage and gone together.

Were they were apparently attacked in a hallway but survived with no injuries as the forge was installed Jaune sighed into his scroll. even if the raids had stopped Bastion was still dangerous and even with the boon of Sonya's _sight_ , there was no safety for team ARKM.

* * *

Something was happening with Team ARKM.

 _"Kage!_ The _left!"_

Jaune ordered as he glared ahead of him.

"On it _boss!_ " Kage said kicking down a rickety door in a shower of splinters sashing into the room as the harsh sound of bolt pistols filled the air.

 _"Mika! Right!_ ""~Yes sir! Mister _boss man_ sir~!" Mika replied skipping to the right part of the decrypt hallway and washing it with flames as the sound of human screaming filled his hearing. As a smile broke his face.

"Ruby! On our six!

"Got it!" Ruby yelled as she ducked backfiring into the enemy as Jaune walked forward.

Everything was working out according to plan as Jaune stalked forward into the abandoned apartment building. The harsh crack of bolt pistols filled his ear as Kage cleared the rooms to the left of them followed by the harsh sharp reports of _Crescent Rose_ as Ruby covered their flanks.

It was all tied up nicely as the whooshing sounds of flames followed by the familiar stink of chemical fire filled the air with ozone as Mika closed off their flanks making it impossible for them to be surrounded, as the harsh acrid smell of fun power and ozone filled his nose as a smile came to his face.

"And I'll take center!" Jaune yelled as the roof of the abandoned apartment building was ripped off its hinges in a shower of wood and screams, as beady red eyes on thick dark wings entered his vision as a howling griffon tore open the roof and landed in front of him screeching at the top of its lungs as Jaune grinned a vicious smirk as he unsheathed his sword twirling it once in mid-air before smiling as he leapt into the chest of the monster, to stab it's chest as Team ARKM finished their mission. As the last enemy fell, a savage grin came to Jaune face as team ARKM was starting to _gel._

* * *

Jaune had no idea when it had first started to happen. But sometime during the week since the raids stopped team ARKM began to _gel."_ As the team left, the smoking apartment building as the four teens stepped into the chilly snow-filled air.

"Good work Kage! Great shooting!" Jaune said slapping the boy one shoulder as he smiled a toothless grin back at him.

"Thanks _boss_ you too."Kage said slapping a hand on Jaune shoulder as Jaune did the same to him, brown met blue as the boys nodded a look of respect passed between their eyes as Jaune turned to his other team members.

"Mika! Great crowd control! You did amazing!"

Jaune said as the girl twirled her hatchet in mid-air.

"~ Aww! _Bossman!_ You are making me blush~!"

"I mean it! You did outstanding work today! There's a churro waiting for you when we get back home so that you know." Jaune said smiling at the girl who nearly stopped her aze as she slammed both hands to her face before leaping into his arms and hugging him tightly.

"~You're the best boss man~! Did you hear that Kage! Jaune' getting me a churro when we get back isn't he the best?!" Mika asked slinging herself onto Kage who actually held her in his arms as Jaune turned away from the two was he went to the last member of his team.

"Ruby!"

"Yes!"

"You did great. I'm glad to have you on my team. You are the best partner and friend in the world!" Jaune said ruffling her head in an appraising way causing her to blush as she pushed herself into his side as Jaune smiled down at her.

Jaune had no die when it had happened, but team ARKM was _finally_ coming together.

Jaune had finally stepped into his role as a leader and had been acting like one. Giving orders to both Kage _and_ Mika with the sound and confidence of one who was not only used to hearing his common obeyed but getting them done quickly. And his team had taken to his style like fish to water

Jaune had changed as team ARKM stood in the wild frost fog outside the abandoned and now burned building they had been tasked to clear alone. Jaune had settled into the boots of a leader and was a man _changed._

Back in Beacon Jaune had been _playing_ a leader. He was underskilled with no confidence and no way to keep himself alive without running behind his friends and praying that they killed whatever monster of the time was coming to kill him. He gave _suggestions_ rather than orders and always crowd surfed ideas. That was no more.

Now he simply ordered his teammates with the easy confidence of a man who had been giving orders his entire life, as his eyes gained a steely glint to their natural blue color, he walked with confidence and a low swagger to his steps.

Gone was her earlier cowardice and intimidation. Now he walked with the smooth and easy steps of one used to a life of command and was not afraid to speak his he said what he meant with an edge to his tone as he commanded his team and they obeyed him without a moment's hesitation or thought.

Ruby was ecstatic to see her team and friends getting along as team _ARKM_ went form a group of forced strangers living together for mutual protection and nothing more to an organized, cohesive unit. That was able to not only utilize each other's skill but cover one another's weakness.

It might have started one day when Ruby was going out to get lunch. Both Kage and Jaune had already eaten and not wanting to eat alone Ruby had asked Mika of all people to eat with her. Saying that she wanted to eat with a _friend_. The girl leaped at the chance hugging Ruby with all her might and proclaiming their friendship for all to see as Ruby hugged back.

As the two left speaking of Kage. He had actually become Jaune's _friend._ He had taken Jaune in to become one of the _boys._ With Zach and _Six_ as the initiation student had yet to reveal his name and Jaune felt a genuine friendship from between them. As Kage, Jaune, Zach and Six hung out together Ruby began branching out.

No longer did she cling to Jaune or Kage as her life depended on it. Now she would venture out in Bastion alone or more likely with Mika as the two had grown from strangers at _best_ to damn near inseparable as they spent almost every spare minute with each Hino and Krix become their own friend circle and making Jaune smile.

Ruby looked happy. She appeared happier then Jaune had ever seen her before. Even in Beacon, the girls did not smile as such. As she laughed and joked openly all traces of her anxiety vanishing overnight as she finally began to grow.

And speaking of growth! Even team ARKM was closer. They talked to each other like friends, and to strangers, they told stories of their past, Jaune learned Mika was the child of a businessman in Vacuo, and Kage was an orphan.

Ruby has two moms and one dad. And had begun training with Kage and Hino by hand to hand combat. Jaune had in her inspiration taking to challenge Mik to sword aze duels to test hi sill, and she proved to be a interesting if not an _uncanny_ opponent slipping and flickering through reality dodging and parrying Jaune's attacks like a snake in the water. And the two had become fast sparring partners and actual _friends_ in the span of a week.

That's why it was with great shock that team ARKM was called into Ludo's office s the man sat with a massive grin as the roaring, but _null_ fire glowed behind him. As his piercing silver eyes glared at team ARKM Jaune returned the glare. Refusing to back down as the familiar cold hand gripped his chest.

Do your worst. Jaune thought as he swore he saw the headmaster nod as if to say I intended to as the man's face broke into a grin.

"Congratulation team ARKM! You have your next mission! And I am sure you will love it! How many of you have ever been flying before and do anyone of you know how to operate a parachute?" They were asked as Jaune gulped as Ludo smiled viciously. As miss Heil shook her head in annoyance as she handed Jaune a letter.

"Because if you don't know now is the _perfect_ time to learn." The man said with a devilish grin as Jaune opened the letter detailing his next mission assignment.

* * *

"I Hate the cold."

Kage said as put on layer after layer of thermal coating as team ARMK got ready for their latest assignment. It was a strange assignment, to say the least. As they needed to go to a far-off place in as Kage eloquently put it ass end of nowhere up north called _Arcadia_ and help them kill some white fang and in return they would give Bastion food stockpiles as Bastin was running dangerously low on food supplies and if they did not get a new shipment they would _starve._

"Kage, have you been to this place before?" Jaune asked as Kage shook his head. As he stooped to help, Mika, how who was busy slamming her hatchet's base into a hilariously overstuffed suitcase in an attempt to make it close.

"Not personally _no_. But If I know my fact it's going to be hell. Cold, ancient Grimm and Oum damned singing. This is going to be _miserable_." Kage said as Ruby came from behind him wrapping her thin arms around his back to give him a hug.

"Don't wary Kage! I'm sure we'll pull through this! _Together!"_ Ruby said smiling brightly as Kage sighed into his self. Before sticking out an armored gloved hand as he ruffled her head affectionately.

"Sure thing _Red_ together," Kage said as team _ARKM_ continued to pack. It was not even a mission they were on but a _favor_ that Ludo told them that the elite of Death Korps was _offered_ to do. And to expect to be away for _over_ a week. As Jaune sighed into his palms as he packed a rough sack.

"What can you do about it?" Jaune asked no one in particular as he continued to pack.

* * *

 **AN: Well there we go! The next arc is starting and the team is coming together! I have the next three or so arcs already planned out for this story so fear not! This tale will continue! Thanks to everyone for reading and as always I hope you enjoyed. Until next time I decided to leave a tease for the next chapter by putting its name at the end of the previous one. So until next time, Jaune Torchwick _should_ be next. Depends on if I decide to toss out a Game on first but until then! Enjoy an omake since you all seem to love it so much. **

**Next chapter. Gory Gory what a helluva way to die.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant! Part two Dead in the water.**

"Tell me how long have your two regiments been... in _conflict?_ " Jaune asked as he sat on a semi-comfortable chair as he eyed the commander if you could call her that of the one hundred and eighth. It was already bad enough the Jaune had to be in the freezing RuneScape of Atlas but the damned base didn't have a proper heater!

As the low dim room, they were in was heated by a lone heating coil that was trying and failing to warm up the room. As it glowed orange on the background only succeeding in fogging up the windows and adding an uncomfortable level of humidity to, the room.

"Um! Since we first merged our units together! Ther have been minor altercations! Usually by the _men_!" Ruby added under her breath in the worst display of subtlety Jaune had seen in his entire life as Yatsuahsi growled at the girl silencing the smaller girl as the mountain of a man glared at her.

"Things were going just fine until _some_ people came along. We have a long history of glorious service and it was unblemished until the massacre in Vacuo." The man growled as Jaune rubbed his head. This was becoming a nightmare and fast. All Jaune wanted was a nice easy life away from all the things in Remnant that where baying for his blood.

Preferably in Mistral where he could spend his days lounging on one of the coral beaches with Ren at his side and a drink in his hand speaking of drinks Jaune could really use a-

" _Tea sir?_ " Ren asked phlegmatically as he appeared at his commander's side steaming cup of tea in hand, Jaune thanked his aide and best friend.

"Thank you, Ren. I would _love_ some tea. _Almost_ as much as I would love to see a fully functioning unit." Jaune said as his aide nodded placing a steaming bowl of brownish liquid in front of him as Ruby and Yatshais turned their noses.

It was a usual thing, most people did not take to Ren's pungent odor. As Ruby had been not so secretly plugging her nose when she thought no one was looking. Which unfortunately was never as Yatsuhasi merely grimaced.

Ren for his part paid them no mind, as usual, being as indifferent to anyone but himself that was not posing an active threat to their lives as Jaune looked over his papers.

It was worse then he feared. This unit was filled with infighting, division and had become a literal powder keg of animosity and spite and Jaune had the glorious job of cleaning it up. As he read over the filed a heavy sigh escaped his lips as he turned to them.

"Ruby."

"Yes!" The _girl_ as Jauen would not call her a woman. Not yet at least eeped out her response Jaune sighed,

"You _are_ the commander of this regiment are you not?"

"Yes! I Ruby Rose am the current acting commander of the one hundred and eight light infantry!"

Ruby said proudly pumping her small chest out with pride as Yatsuhasi growled behind her.

"Then the blame falls on you," Jaune said as the girls pride filled eyes crashed in a second as a worried frown covered her face.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked fidgeting in her chair as Jaune read over his field reports.

" _Infighting, animosity, moral degradation_ , and outright inter-unit _brawls!?_ This is unacceptable! Ruby Rose! You have entrusted to command this unit under the authority of Monty himself and you have been found wanting!"

Jaune yelled in his loudest command tone making the girl _eep!_ As she shrunk back in her chair silver eyes wide in fear as Jaune slammed his las pistol into the table making the girls face turn the color of the snow as Yatsuhasi stepped in.

" _Sir_ , While I do agree that her command performance is lacking, I do _not_ believe summary execution is necessary." The large man said showing a general concern for the girl in front of him as his small black eyes opened in concern as Jaune sighed.

"She has been found wanting on _several_ occasions, I could execute her for _far_ less. Ruby! You have sown dissent in your command and sat back and allowed division to settle into your unit for over _three_ months tell me what steps have you taken to lessen them?" Jaune asked as Ruby quaked.

"I! I! I baked _cookies!"_

The girl said as Jaune fixed her a hard stare that made her quake in fear.

"For the _females_ only," Jaune added as Ruby balked.

"I! I knit napkins combining the symbols of both our old units!"

"That's good! _Right?!"_

Ruby asked as Jaune glared at her.

"And you lost them in a? Fire dust accident? It appears?" Jaune said flicking through the mound of paperwork as Ruby began to panic.

"I! I tried to help the unit! I did _everything_ I could to make them get along! It didn't work!"

"Did you? Did you really do _everything?_ Think carefully before you answer. Your life _may_ depend on your response." Jaune said tapping his pistols barrel menacingly onto the table.

"I! I! I did _everything_ I could! I _tried_ to get the people to get along but it's _hard_! And it's not just the men! The girls won't do it either! They both don't like each other and I can't make them play nice no matter _what_ I try!" Ruby admitted squealing at the top of her lungs silver eys shacking in fear and gohst white palms gripping the table as Jaune sighed.

"Is this the truth? Have you _truly_ tried your best and still failed at your appointed duty?"

"Yes. That is the truth."

Ruby said with Grimm finality as she nodded her head as Jaune closed his eyes. Contemplating his next decision before opening them with a fierce look.

"Fine then, _Ruby Rose_ I with the power given to me entrusted by the commissariat I sentence you to immediate _summary execution!_ " Jaune said as Ruby quaked her skin losing all of its colors as her mouth opened to scream in defiance as Yatsuhasi moved forward.

"Sir! I must protest! She dose _not_ deserve to be executed like this!" The man growled stalking over to the table eyes wide in concern.

"Why do you care? You yourself told me that she was lacking in command training and you _clearly_ want the job. If you are as good as you say and all indications say that you are, the next in line for command is yourself. You should be happy." Jaune said taking his pistol out from its holster and aiming it at the girl's forehead making her cry.

"Sir, please! I didn't mean to I'm sorry!"

"Ruby Rose! By the power of the commissariat!"

"Sir! _Please! I don't want to die!"_

You should have thought of that before, you put your own self-interest before your duty to Monty! As such you have not and you have been found wanting!"

"Sir I _must_ protest! Ruby has been doing her best and she has shown on _several occasions_ to be a capable and a talented commander! Killing her would not only be a waste to the unit but to Monty himself and I must protest it with the _full_ level of my seniority!" The man said as Jaune smiled internally.

"Fine. Since you _care_ for her so much, I'll give you a deal. Three weeks. You both have three weeks to end you animosity impeding your unit or I execute you _both_. Now go." Jaune said as the two terrified commanders nodded their head vehemently before turning tail and sprinting out of the room leaving Jaune and Ren alone with their tea as the heating coils of the room warmed them up. Or at least tried to warm them up.

"That worked out well sir," Ren said his usual phlegmatic tone replaced with a level of snideness as Jaune's plans came together.

"Yes, Ren. Yes, it did." Jaune said as a smile crossed his lips.


	20. Pillar oneBlood on the risers Gory, Gory

**: AN Here we go! The next brand new chapter of Bastion! Here we get the first new arc that's going to compell the story forward! To death or-**

 **Well death. A lot of people die. Really. This was not going to be a happy fic.**

* * *

"So what exactly _is_ the mission exactly sir?"

Jaune asked as team ARKM stood in the well-furnished office of the Bastion headmaster Ludo as the man smirked sharply at him.  
 _"Your mission!_ Should you choose to accept it-

'They don't have a choice."

The searing voice of Miss Heil said as Jaune kept her burning glare while still flinching internally. The woman was terrifying; her entire appearance was like a sword, sharp and pointed. Her glare looked like it could cut a hole in adamantium and her burning red eyes made holding her stare near impossible, all of it was covered up by a surprising youthful beguiling figure as Jaune stared at her.

"Miss Heil. I know you like to give our students the occasional shiver, but I must _insist!_ This _is_ a voluntary mission! If you do not want to go on it, you don't have to!"

"So we have a choice?" Jaune asked as regretted the words less than a second later as the headmaster baleful silver eyes locked on to him.

"But of course! Mister Arc I would never force my student to do anything against their will! Here in Bastion, we _respect_ your right to self-determination and seek to make you the best _you_ possible!"

The man said as Jaune glared at him.

"So if we refuse this mission there will be no consequences for my team _or_ me?"

"None whatsoever."

"And if we accept?"

"There will be boons for you. As you already know, I can be quite a generous Mister Arc if you did not know. My agreement to send you back to Beacon really should be proof enough of that!"

"Although, I do suggest that you consider the fact that while I am generous not that you do well by me, I am considerably less to those who do not, before making a decision." The man said as Jaune glared at him.

"So what exactly are we doing on the mission?" Jaune asked as the man brought out a scroll and shifted through its contents.

"You are going to be assisting a Bastion Death Kops mission to a far-off nation called Arcadia. You will be going along with a contingent of Arcadian paratroopers to assault and reinforce an Arcadian position that is under white fang assault."

"What is the plan after that?"

"Then you will assist them with cleaning out a _small_ white fang contingent of men assaulting one of their colonies. Do this and Arcadia will not only give us access to their foods stocks they have also offered to share with us their weaponry for our initiations students."

The man said as Jaune raised an eyebrow at him.

"Foodstuffs? Why does Bastion need Arcadian food stocks?"

"Well as you see, the successful running and management of a school is an incredibly difficult endeavor. It is insanely complicated and complex undertaking that through no fault of my own is now in jeopardy of collapsing and-

"He forgot to order food for the school, and you are all going to starve." The dean said as she glared at him.

"Miss Heil! I wouldn't say that I forgot! I would say-

"What would you say then? That you _misplaced_ our weekly budget? That the thousands of thousand of lien just disappeared? What would you say happened to our food reserves?"

The dean said in a smoldering voice an s the man began to sweat.

"Wel! I would say that this is a key opportunity for school unity! I believe that this mission will allow Bastion students to fight for a common cause and bring them together!"

The man said as the dean put a hand to her face as she glared at team ARKM.

"You four will if you want to. That is, go to Arcadia help them with a problem and in return, you get to not starve to death."

"What about you?" Jaune asked as the dean cocked her head to him as her fiery glare burned into him.

"What about me?"

"I mean the teachers. Won't you starve too?"

"Why would we be under threat from starvation? Are you suggesting that the teachers are in some way equal to the students? If you starve the teachers will be fine, do not presume to be our confederates let alone equals."

"Miss Heil do not scare the boy! Now Jaune do you want this mission? If so I can guarantee you that you will be well compensated for it…

* * *

"So what is Arcadia?" Jaune asked as he packed his travel bag as he and his team began packing their outfits.

"It's nothing. A small fringe colony in the ass end of nowhere filled with xenophobic isolation9ist with a penitent for gun making and no social graces. The people there are known for two things, not liking other people who don't look the same and are known for build some of the best weapons in history." Kage said as he packed a suitcase full of clothes and spare ammunition. As he forced his luggage shut with a grunt.

"You know a lot about it. How?" Jaune asked as Kage finished packing his bag his crimson armor shining in the team ARKM light.

"Long story."

"Tell me," Jaune said in a steely tone as he flexed a leaderly tone towards Kage as he flexed his authority.

"Well, when you live in Vacuo for as long as I do and spend as much time doing, extracurricular activities in this hell hole you tend to become well informed. Arcadia is not a good place Jaune. Even if it's a simple drop, we are going to be in for a _rough_ time."

"We get to jump _out_ of an airplane!?" Ruby asked suddenly appearing by Venke's side silver eyes gleaming up at him as he sighed.

 _"Red_ have you ever been on a plane before? Let alone jump out of one?"

"Yes! I have! When I first came to Beacon, I was on a bullhead and-

"No Ruby. I meant a plane, a combat ship, not a bullhead. There's a difference."

"What's the difference?' Ruby asked in an innocent tone as Kage sighed.  
"Speaking of that what's Arcadia like. Tell me everything."

Jaune said as Kage nodded.

"When we get off the plane you can expect extreme temperature drops; it's going to be cold. Arcadia is located just north of Atlas in the most ass-backward corner of Remnant. No one goes there; no one lives there that's not in a specialized habitat or batshit crazy. Arcadian's are both."

"They seem _pleasant_ ," Jaune said as Kage gave a dark chuckle.

It was grating sound like rocks rubbing over real as the boy gave his telltale laugh.

"That's an understatement. Arcadian's are strong; they have weapons that will put the rest of the word to shame and are so obsessed with guns that they carved out a society more than a hundred miles from the nearest human outpost. They are an insular and sullen people. They don't trust strangers and will regard us with suspicion at best and hostility at worst. When We get there I suggest doing our jobs, get up quick and go home. Every second we spend there is another chance of us getting frostbite."

"So dress warmly?"

 _"Extreme_ temperatures remember?"

Kage asked tapping a pistol against his forehead.

"Expect _highs_ in the low twenties and a wind chill factor of minus thirty."

Kage said as Jaune noded.

"So long sleeves and pants?"

"Dress in layers," Kage advises as Ruby fidgeted.

"I don't have layers…. I only have my old Beacon clothes."

"That's a problem," Jaune said as Kage nodded.

"A skirt's _not_ going to cut it Red. You need something warmer or getting shot to death is the least of your worries."

Kage said before look to his right.

"Maybe Mika has some clothes for you?" Kage asked his best friend as she clapped her hands and tackled Ruby dragging the poor girl off to the bathroom muttering twitterings about fashion and friends, trying out clothes together as Kage and Jaune were left alone.

"At least they're getting along."

Kage admitted as Jaune nodded his head.

"Never thought I'd see the day."

"What her and Mika being friends?"

Kage asked dryly as his leader laughed. It was just another thing that was changing about the boy after Bastion. Jaune's once nervous fear filled laugh was replaced by a raspy hollow version, which reminded him of stones on sandpaper as the boy chuckled lowly.

"That this would work. Kage we… we are doing it. We're _actually_ doing it. We're becoming a real team. An actual unit at this rate I think he has a real chance of getting out of this."

"What? You mean you were lying to Ruby all this time about that whole _we can get through this Ruby! Just believe!"_ Kage said in a sarcastic tone as Jaune gave a low chuckle.

"That was a pipe dream at best. I never thought we'd get this far. I just needed to calm her down when she was at her lowest point. We have less than two months to go before we can go home! If we keep this up with _reduced_ missions _and_ better equipment? Kage, we can do this." Jaune said as the boy nodded his head.  
"I'm happy for your two really.' Kage said before going back to his bag and lugging it over his shoulder.

"I'll be going to the doc area. I got some stuff to settle on the way."

"See you there," Jaune said as the boy nodded and left him alone.

Jaune had to be honest things were going well. No better than well it was damn _near_ perfect! Team ARKM had come together they worked and fought as a unit, and they were actually starting to become friends. The thought of that was near anathema to Jaune weeks ago but now?

Things were different.

He and Kage actually hung out ate together talked and joked! Well, Jaune jokes Kage made sarcastic comments and tended to have a range of emotional expression of a doorknob and was full suspicious and sullen snarks, with a steely glare on his face that he kept up all the time.

Even Jaune and Zach had got along better. The boy seems to be perpetually followed by the initiation student _Six_. Who was now a part of their group or boys as Zach called and there was a strange but real sense of brotherhood between them.

And Ruby was in a much similar place. Her and Mika spent almost _every_ day together, eating, laughing and just being friends. The girl branched out to accept the odd girl with a flamethrower and hatchet as her sister and had even let Krc and Hino into her heart as well.

And for the first time in a long item, Ruby seemed _happy._ She laughed and smiled brightly _far_ brighter the Jaune had ever seen the girl smiled back in Beacon and seemed to be actually _enjoying_ her Bastion life, and Jaune couldn't even remember the last time he heard Weiss or any other name in their past hopefully future friends as he got ready to pack.

* * *

"So sir, what is our _exact_ operation?"

Jaune asked Ludo fishing for any additional information as the man gave him a broad grin of twin flow of far too white teeth.

"Well like I said you are going to be leaving Bastion along with a contingent of Arcadian paratroopers to assist an Arcadian colony under attack. Do this, and we secure a powerful potential ally in the north and ensure that not only will the majority not resort to barbarism and cannibalism to survive!"

The man said smiling braodly as Jaune grimaced and the dean sighed.

"Why do I work here?"

Miss Heil asked as Ludo gave her an enigmatic smile.

'Because you _want_ to." He replied as Jaune stepped in.

"Sir if you don't mind me asking, what did we win?"

"Win? Where?"

"Our last mission. We fought the fang there, and I assumed them dead and done. I was always told that the Fang were a fringe group. A radical but generally small and under-equipped terrorist organization but now? They have artillery, men, fortified positions? How did they get all of this equipment, funding, and resources for a fringe group of radicals?"

"AH! Now that _is_ a good question! To answer the first part, as you know Bastion is not an _official_ school! And as such are not publicly know, but! We are still a hunter academy light damn it! And as such we have our _talents_. Mainly people like you! Students who find themselves in precarious situations, with either, lose moral fiber or strong self-preservation instincts that we use to cultivate _favors_ with major groups in the world."

"Favors? Sir? What do you mean by that?"

"Simple! You see the Fang that you know and love as a fringe group is just that! They are not reflective of the fang as a whole! The majority of fang and other terrorist organizations exit int he wilds! Mainly due to the vast number of resources there and! The sheer lack of supervision has led to _several_ enemy redoubts, and forts existing without the government notice!"

"But how? How do they have the time resources to set up a base, take materials from wherever and build? What about Grimm? The wilds are full of dangerous, and unknown Grimm variants and should be a death trap!"

 _"Mister Arc_! I'm surprised at you! _You_ of all people underestimate what human spirit and ingenuity can accomplish! Especially when it's combined with resources, strategy, and expendable forces!"

"The governments like to _say_ that the wilds are an uninhabitable wasteland and, but nothing can be farther than the truth! If you ignore the Grimm, and harsh climate rangest the wilds are a lush and fertile land that is just waiting to be explored and settled!"

"If it's so lush hoe come the governments are settling it?"

"Simple! They lack the resources too!"

"And fringe terrorist don't? I mean they have what? Maybe some rich patrons backing them up while the government has thousands plus miles of territory and millions of lien?"

"Ah, Mister Arc! You forget _one_ crucial thing about governments!"

"And that is?"

"They are inefficient! Bogged down by traditions, political parties and the crushing weight of bureaucracy! The government could settle the lands but one any serious territory acquisition would probably lead to a world war the likes we had not seen since the great war many years ago! And two! A small group of determined men has been shown to get done what thousands of others can not."

"Now! Just because Bastion does not exist does not mean we are unheard of mind you! In fact, _several_ prominent organizations, people and government bodies are well aware of our existence and ask us of _favors_ to deal with delicate situations often in the wilds that they can not touch and the provide us with rewards if we are successful!"

"Like what?"

"Resources! While Bastion does acquire-

"He means _steal_. We _steal_ things from other kingdoms."

"Miss Heil! It is _not_ stealing! It is simply _reappropriating_! We take recourses from them to train hunters who fight Grimm to protect them! We are doing them a _service_! If you ask me!"

"If you say so."

"I _do_. Anyways! Our reward form out last forward was not only a mountain of resources but! We are now in possession f several _armored_ units! Personal carries, and light combat vehicles of the sort! That have put full _hours_ of life expectancy to our initiation students!"

"Personal carriers?"

"Infantry fighting vehicles to be specific. They are currently being used to shepherd our fourth years in the assault on the Fan fortress in front of your objective."

"Fortress?" Kage asked setup up as the man nodded his pure white hair at him.

"Yes, mister Kage the fang have a substantial garrison with a massive mountain fortress in the area near your drop zone. Fear not, however, as with limited Arcadian support along with some _borrowed_ air assets we plan to launch a sizeable Death Korps assault against them to _break_ it."

"I thought we were not going to take missions with regular Death Kops members?"

Jaune asked as Ludo gave a confused stare.

"You are not. You will be flown _to_ the battle zone! Over the _Kernel_ as we are calling it. We can't risk our _elite_ forces, after all, can we? You are _far_ too valuable to loose with the rest of the chaff!"

The man said at the meeting ended as team ARKM accepted the mission, as they left Ludo called out for Jaune one last time.

"Remember Mister Arc! This _is_ optional! You _always_ have a choice...

* * *

 _"It's cold!_ " Ruby said shivering her small head off as the fourth member of team ARKM stood in the back of titanic aircraft. As they all shivered in varying degrees of discomfort as the craft flew through the air.

The ship was admittedly cold, it was easily below thirty degrees, and there was a sharp chill filling the air followed by the low drone of the engines filled the air as the ship flew through the clouds.

They were in the back of a massive arcadian transport plane that housed dozens of paratroopers in its belly. Who stood tall and impassive as statues dressed in light blue fatigues, as they ships interior was lightly buffeted by turbulence as the members of team ARKM fought to stay upright as Ruby shivered.

In her defense, Ruby never took any of her Beacon clothes to Bastion, and the only reason her clothes were not in complete shambles was the fact that she kept her aura up and Kage out of all people knew how to _knit._

And was therefore responsible for keeping Ruby's clothes in some semblance of functioning order as the fact that Kage was responsible for keeping her from being stark naked was a _crucia_ l factor in cementing their friendship.

"I can't feel my legs!" Ruby whined shaking her skinny limbs rapidly training and failing to use her semblance to keep warm as she was chattering her teeth openly in the ships hull.

"You should have dressed warmer.' Kage said dryly as Ruby shot him a dirty glare.

"I _tried!"_

Ruby shot back as Jaune looked down at her. She was currently wearing her usual Beacon uniform but now with a long _fur_ scarf around her neck. And a long row of _pelts_ across her legs that covered up less than half of them and had Ruby constantly fidgeting back and forth trying to warm her legs up.

"It's ok Ruby. You can hold onto me to keep warm." Jaune said as the girl blushed deeply before latching onto Jaune pressing herself into his side, wedging her soft breast into his side making him freeze.

 _Happy thoughts Jaune. Think happy thoughts!_  
 _Not that happy!_ Jaune thought as he felt a sudden tightening in his pants.  
Just ignore the-

 _"Sound off!"_

A loud bellowing voice called from the front of the craft as ever soldier shouted off in one rolling voice that took Jaune off guard as Kage began to sigh.

"What's going on?"

Jaune asked as several doors opened across the craft letting in harsh bone-chilling winds to the already frigid interior dropped, even more, making Ruby attempt to _merge_ with Jaune as Kage sighed.

"It's the _other_ bad thing about Arcadians; They love to _sing,_ " Kage said before a tune began to carry over the craft.

 _"~He was just a rookie trooper, and he surely shook with pride!~"_

A loud bellowing voice called out as Ruby coked her head teeth chattering.

"Wh- WH- What's going on?'

The reaper asked as Kage sighed.

"They are going to _sing."_

"Why?" Ruby asked as Kage gritted his teeth.

"For Moral." He replied sullenly as the tune began.

 _"~He checked off his equipment and made sure his pack was tight!~"_

 _"~He had to sit and list to those **awful** engines roar he ain't gonna jump no more!~"_

"~Gory gory what a helluva way to die!~"  
"~ Gory gory what a helluva way to die!~"

"What are they singing?" Rubya sked as Kage signed

"Don't worry about it Red just sit back and-

 _FITUM!_

A massive blast impacted the ship as something long and hard stuck its side slamming into it as the telltale sound of gunfire filled the air as the craft began to shake.

 _"Is everybody happy now?"_

A large man deemed the _lieutenant_ said as he stared down the ranks of assembled soldiers smiling broadly she did so. Bullets struck the craft as the night sky was light up by giant orange flashes as flak exploded all over the air the craft began to shake.

"We're under _attack?!"_

Ruby squealed as Kage nodded once

"Looks like it. What? You didn't think the fang would just _let_ us fly over them now, did you? Be glad that we _aren't_ down there with that." Kage asked they now worried reaper as the song started back up.

 _"~Our hero feebly answered yes, and they stood him up.~"_

 _"~He jumped into the icy blast his static line unhooked.~"_

 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

"Why are they singing," Jaune asked as Kage sighed rubbing his pistol on his arm as he checked for blemishes on its freshly polished surface.

"I think they think it sounds good. Besides, what's the problem? Red like it." Kage said point to a fiercely concentrated Ruby was grinning like a madman.

"I _like t_ his song!" She said once as it kept droning.

 _"~He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the **shock.~** "_  
 _"~He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful **drop**.~"_  
 _"~The silk from his reserve spilled out and wrapped around his legs.~"_  
 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more.~"_

"Wait what?" Ruby asked as her previous enjoyment of the song was brought into question as it reached its darker parts.

"Just wait for it Red, it's going to get a _lot_ worse," Kage claimed as it droned on.

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.~"_  
 _"~He **ain't** gonna jump no more.~"_

The cant droned on as Jaune looked out the now open side doors, wind flew into the ships bay as he tugged on his chute. He was briefly comforted by the fact that for one his air sickness was not acting up fear of death seemed like a good suppressant.

And two he took a small glint of humor in seeing Ruby weighed down by a parachute as the poor girl was practically hunched over by the large pack. Even if Ruby looked _hilariously_ small compared to the pack on her pack. As the poor girl looked like a half-folded pretzel as she struggled to keep upright.

Jaune _never_ liked flying but the fact that he was on the plan for less than an hour certainly helped. Although the fact that the wood soon is jumping out of said aircraft did not help his prospects as dropping out of a perfectly good plane was still in his opinion a terrible idea.

 _"~The risers swung around his neck, connectors cracked his **dome** ,~"_  
 _"~Suspension lines were tied in knots around his skinny bones;~"_  
 _"~The canopy became his shroud; he hurtled to the ground.~"_  
 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more.~"_

 _"What!?_ What are they talking about?" Ruby asked as the song finally reached its halfway point.

"They are talking about what _might_ happen to all of us," Kage said with s grimace as he shot a steely glare forward brown eyes shooting into the dim light of the ship rock left and right as munitions struck it. All along its hole as it rocked back and forth.

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~He **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

"I don't like this song anymore…

Ruby said as another large bloom of orange filled the cabin as some massive armament climaxed nearby rocking the entire ship to the left as the paratroopers stood ramrod straight aa ARKM struggled to keep a straight stance.

 _SKREAW!_

A roar filled the cabin as a monstrous roar filled the cabin. As Ruby paled.

 _"Grimm!?_ Why are there Grimm here?!" Ruby asked as Jaune looked to Kage who grimaced.

"There's a battlefield down there Red. That means lot's of death and dying. It's practically a feast for them down there." Kage said as more monstrous screeches filled the cabin making the girls augmented eye squint as it struck out of her skull.

"Will they reach us up here!?"

"Not likely Red. Where flying too high for them to catch." Kage lied easily as Jaune gave him a small nod of thanks.

"Well, atleast that's good. I mean I don't want to know what would happen if-

 _FIT! FIT! FIT!_

Ruby was interrupted as three never more feathers penetrated several glass windows shooting into the cabin filling it with roaring winds and the sounds of shattering glass filled the cabin.

"Down!"

Jaune yelled grabbing Ruby and tackling her to the floor as Kage id the same to Mika as three feathers ripped into the cabin two passing harmlessly in front of them embedding themselves straight into the ceiling of the craft. The third feather, however, found it's marked and eviscerated a soldier tearing him in two and showering team ARKM in steaming blood as the man was brutally ripped apart, his comrades barely seemed to notice as they kept singing.

 _"~The days he'd lived and loved and laughed kept running through his mind, ~"_  
 _"~He thought about the girl back home, the one he'd left behind;~"_  
 _"~He thought about the medic corps, and wondered what they'd find,~"_  
 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more.~"_

"What?! I thought you said we were _safe!"_

Ruby yelled as Jaune let her up as the eviscerated man laid motionless on the floor as the gore-soaked teens stood up on shaking limbs.,

" We are, _once_ we reach cruising altitude," Venke admitted slowly as Ruby balked and went to comment further as the craft rocked again.

Two more strikes rocked the ship as Jaune gritted his teeth as two missile streaks rocketed past the craft leaving twin missile wisps in their wake as the rounds narrowly missed the plane skitting it winds by a razor's edge missing the ship and exploding into the sky as it flew forward and the song continued.

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~He **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

 _"~The ambulance was on the spot, the jeeps were running wild,~"_  
 _"~The medics jumped and screamed with glee, they rolled their sleeves and smiled,~."_  
 _"~For it had been a week or more since last a 'Chute had failed,~."_  
 _"~And he_ ain't _gonna jump no more.~"_

"That's not good! Why would they sing this!?" Ruby asked trying and failing to get the blood and ore off of her but reluctantly relenting as the steaming viscera did _wonders_ from keeping her shivering acting as a macabre heating system as Jaune grimaced.  
"I don't know Ruby. I think they like it? I mean we sing when we run right? This is more or less the same no?' Jaune said attempting to calm the blood smeared girl wiping off a smear of gore form her hair as she shook her head.

"That's different! We sing songs to make us run better! This is just depressing!"

Ruby shouted as the song went on.

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~He **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

 _"~He hit the ground, the sound was " **SPLAT!",** his blood went spurting high;~"_  
 _"~His comrades, they were heard to say " **A HELL OF A WAY TO DIE!"~"**_  
 _"~He lay there, rolling 'round in the welter of his gore,~"_  
 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more.~"_

"What!? Why would they say that!?" Ruby shouted as the girl finally began to panic as the chant, blood smeared clothing and ever increasing rattle of bullets and ars fire on their hull finally began to get to her.

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~He ain't gonna jump no more!~"_

The song went from a strong upbeat chorus as it went from strong and sturdy to a slow and somber tune as the chanters began to go into a near funeral dirge.

 _"~There was blood upon the risers, there were brains upon the chute,~"_  
 _"~Intestines were a-dangling from his paratroopers suit,~"_  
 _"~He was a mess, they picked him up, and poured him from his boots,~"_  
 _"~And he **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

The tune finally died down completely as only the sounds of droning engines, whooshing air and bullets impacting the hull of the craft filled the air as Jaune sighed.

"There Ruby. You see it's over. You don't have to-

 _"Second verse!"_

The lieutenant yelled as Ruby quaked and Kage sighed.

"Told you they like to _sing."_

Kage said nonchalantly wiping off a piece of brain from his pistol as an more upbeat tone entered the ship as the men continued to sing.

 _"~There was one a man was born in **twenty! Twenty** four!~"_  
 _"~He slaughtered **Lumals** day and night, and then he killed some more!~"_  
 _"~He **shot!~"**_  
 _"~He **based**!~"_  
 _"~He **killed!~"**_  
 _ **"~He slashed!~** "_

 _"But **never** did he die! They never did come home!"_

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~He ain't gonna jump no more!~"_

The song went as a glaring red light filled the cabin with harsh warning klaxons filled the room with a glaring whining noise as the first wave of men leaped out of the plane as the _first_ drop began .

 _"There are those who love the **light** and treat its word as lord!"_  
 _"They wash their hands in other's blood and never did they **morn!'**_  
 _"They **shot!"**_  
 _"They **bashed!"**_  
 _"They **killed!"**_  
 _"They slashed!"_  
 _"But never did **we** die!"_  
 _"We **always** do come home!"_

 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~."_  
 _"~Gory, gory, what a hell of a way to die,~"_  
 _"~He **ain't** gonna jump no more!~"_

The song rang as another titanic blast rocked the ship send team ARKM scattering across the floor as Jaune's already shaky grasp on the metal was tossed out the window with his now blood-soaked sneakers, as he lost his balance was _tossed_ out to the side of the ship.

 _No. No. NO! NO! NO!_ Jaune thought as he found his face slapping hard against the floor as the paratroopers while rocked were still stand by the cords connecting them to the floor time stopped and ground to a screeching halt as everything went into the distorted view of a man about to die as Jaune saw his body sliding ever closer to the open door.

"Jaune!?" Ruby yelled as Jaune stood up at the last second before the ship tilted to the right as Jaune feel his fell leave the ground before he tripped to the door and began to fall…

 _"Gotcha!"_

Kage yelled jumping forward gripping Jaune's hand as he leaped forward holding the boy's hand as his gauntlet hand gripped his leader's arm.

Keeping him grounded as the boy gripped his falling leader keeping him onboard the ship by a hair's breadth before a misle stuck the craft sending the entire thing rocketing off the right as Kage lost his footing on board as he and Jaune were sent sprawling forward and out of the craft and into the _night._

* * *

"JAUNE!?" The voice of Ruby yelled as the boy's last vision of the craft as of shining silver eyes being tackled by a girl in furs before Jaune and Kage fell from the ship and hurdled to the ground.

 _"RUBY!"_ Jaune yelled as he heard one last _"~What a helluva way to die!~"_ From the craft as Jaune saw the massive nearly a mile long aircraft flying forward through the sky as fire fell off its belly as Jaune's was teared up as wailing wind filled his heard a _VATHUM!_

Followed by a rush of air so fast and hot it nearly took his head from his neck as it left second degree burn marks along his cheek as a bullet nearly the size of his entire _leg_ shot past his face in a glowing orange steer as Jaune looked down to what seemed to be the literal end of the word.

Below him was a massive bleak mountain that was easily half a mile tall with massive jagged snow filled peaks, that shout and burst out of it in jagged brutal angels that were overseeing a insanely long treeline that was easily over seven miles of foliage and filled with trees that put the ones in the Emerald forest to shame in size.

Coming from the tree line was a massive blur of missile and rounds that shot out from the tree line in blazing pinions of destruction as wisps of missiles and rounds exploded from the tree line. As bright orange flashes of light shot out from the forest in furious contrails of death and hatred as they slammed into their designated areas.

On the opposite of the tree line was an ever-encroaching line of moving shuddering mass of people. Reacting just as viciously restrung fire and trading bombardment with he defenders entrenched position. As a massive force of infantry assaulted the tree line.

The forces struggled forward as angry missiles shot back from the offender as bullets and other projectiles shot out from the ranks answering the enemies rounds as twin side duel in a massive exchange of mutinous throwing up gigantic columns of dirt and mud filled with dead and dying students as the battle raged.

 _"JAUNE! DON'T PULL YOUR CHUTE!"_

Kage yelled at the top of his lungs as the two fell through the air as bullet shipped past their face as tracer rounds lit up the sky as Jaune grimaced.

 _"WHAT?!"_  
Juan yelled as the boy grimaced.

 _"DON'T OPEN YOUR CHUTE!"_

 _"WHY!?"_

 _"THAT!"_

Kage yelled pointing up to a man who cute was deployed and was floating gently to the ground before a _blur_ of black sped past them and reduced him to blood satin as a nevermore ripped him to pieces.

 _"THE HELL!?"_

 _"THE GRIMM WILL RIP YOU APART IF YOU PULL EARLY! WAIT FOR ME!"_

Kage yelled as Jaune saw swarms of Grimm flowing into the battlefield picking off straggling paratroopers and making staffing run across the battlefield as angry weapons retorts from both sides tracked the raving Griffons, and Nevermore's racking them with anti aircraft fire as the Grimm screeched in defiance as the boys hurtled down to the ground.

 _"NOW!"_

Kage yelled as they both ripped their chutes out as Jaune felt the _shock_ of the pull as his chute flew open with a surprisingly silent _Whoosh!_ As Jaune file, a massive hand grips his chest as he swore his ribs were broken as the cute halted his decent as the boy was in a brief deadfall stage hovering for ten seconds before he slammed into the ground with a massive thud! As he felt, his legs nearly break before aura and weeks of training kicked in as he bent them at the right moment and _rolled_ with his drop landed surprisingly soft grass.

He gained a moment of clarity before the angry sound of bullets maps fire filled his ears as Kage tacked him to the ground.

"Get down!" Kage yelled tackled his leader as bullets ripped into the earth as the two huddle behind a self-made crater as they shuffled into its crest. If Jaune thought he had trouble hearing in the air in the crater of the assault, it was now _deafening._

 _FIT! FIT! FIT!_

Bullets impacted the crater as Jaune was greeted with a vision of sheer anarchy. Everywhere around him as far as he could look was flooded with people running into a wall of death, firing all types of weapons as bullets, rockets, and mortar rounds impacted them as men and woman on both sides.

Soldiers on both sides were ripped into tattered pieces, or blasted into shreds as mortar rounds found clumped together masses of students turn them into a red paste, or much more were yanked back by an invisible hand as the sharp retorts of sniper fire filled the air.

Jaune gritted his teeth as rolling balls of artillery fire racked both sides of the attack as huge blossoms of yellow appeared on both sides of the line churning up tons of soil, machinery and death as Jaune grimaced

BANG!"

 _FIT!_

Jaune saw Oum as a sniper bullet nearly took off his head as a projectile brushed his scalp as Kage tackled him.

"Down! Sniper!"

Kage yelled as they hugged the soft earth, that was remarkably vibrant in stark contrast to the badlands could dead variant.

 _"There!_ We need to get there!"

Kage yelled point to a group of Death Korps students who were currently pinned down in a trench under a barrage of gunfire as they fought their way to the front of the tree line.

"Why there?!"

Jaune yelled ducking his head a sniper round nearly found his head he curse loudly.

"We _can't_ stay here! That sniper has our position! We need to find the rest of the Death Krops! If we don't, we are going to die!"

Kage shouted as Jaune grimaced as yet another sniper round came to their position as a bullet skimmed across the top of his head, as it smoothed his blonde hair as Jaune bit his tongue.

"Fair enough!"  
The boy yelled as both of them leaped over the crater as a mass of shaped flashed into them as their aura flashed blue.

"Move! _NOW!"_

Jaune yelled taking his shield and raising it over the two covering them from enemy fire as they began a desperate print between them and the crated.

As the boys sprinted across the blasted hellscape of soft earth, as mortar rounds and artillery fired reigned down on all side of them as the sharp _PIT! PIT!_ As bullets stuck into Jaune' shield ricocheting off them in violent yellow sparks as the two ran a deadly gauntlet of fire shrapnel and bullets before they jumped head first into the Death Korps trench.

" _Incoming!"_

A voice yelled Jaune landed belly first into the trench as the initiation student next to him suddenly had his brain blown out as he dropped his assault rifle to the ground as a rough group of a dozen fang charged them.

"Keep them back!"

A loud voice yelled as Jaune finally seeing no use for his sword put it to the side as he gripped the assault rifle from the boys still warm hands as he took the assault rifle and aimed it at the charging fang. Jaune had never fired a gun before his entire life and as he rested the base of it on his shoulder before pulling the trigger.

 _BANG!_

The assault rifle fired bucking wildly as it kicked up and down spitting bullets into the fang. The grand majority of the weapons fired went wild most hitting the ground or air around the fang as one three shots his the charge mass as a bullets speed and head into a pinky-grey pul as two more fang stumbled.

Luckily Jaune's _atrocious_ accuracy was more the mane up for by the hail of bullets from the other member of the Death Korps students as the fang were shredded as Jaune hear the telltale _CRACK_! Of Kage's heavy pistols along with _green_ energy, bolts supplemented the fire onto the enemy assault as the fang was cut to bloody ribbons as the assault faltered as a familiar voice filled his ears.

"I _don't fucking_ believe it. Of all the luck."

An irritated sharp voice filled Jaune's head as he turned around to see a pair of mercurial pair of black eyes staring at them.

"Zach?"

Jaune asked das the family boy dress in stark black Death Korpscombat armor with strange golden wings planted on his chest as he glared at him twin green pistols still steaming. "Look what the cat dragged in! We got the elites! The boys who are too good to die with the rest of us!"

Zach said as another familiar form came from behind him "Hello, _sirs!_ How are you doing today?"

 _Six_ asked as the initiation student strut forward trademark bulky _Vox caster_ still strapped to his back artillery rounds impacted far to comfort as it covered the trench in a shower of dirt.

"Zach? The hell are you doing here?"

Kage asked as the boy snorted as he walked forward to Kage clasping shoulders with him.

"Staying alive! In case you moody ass is suddenly blind."

"No, I'm just wondering how the hell my karma is this bad that I end up meeting you on a mission _twice_."

"What? You too good to die with the rest of us? That elite life made you soft?"

"No, I'd just rather not jump form my plane _until_ I get to the drop zone."

Kage said as the boys hit the deck as another wave or artillery filled thee my tree lines decimate them before the harsh sound of grinding gears filled the air as another familiar voice came from their back.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. It looks like I might get to see you shot either way."

The voice of the Death Korps lieutenant still clad in his trademarked jet black storm coat and gas mask said as several tanks?! Filled forward as a mass of students began to gather for a charge.

"Sir?" Jaune asked not sure how to address as the man as he sighed heavily.

"You are no longer under my direct command Mister Arc. Though since you are separated from your unit, I am assuming you wish to assist our assault? If so, please get behind an _IFV_ and prepare to charge. We are breaking this front or dying in the process."

The man said before turning to Zach as he sheathed his plasma pistol.

 _"Major, B_ what is the situation of the men?"

"Sir! We have twenty men up and ready for combat sir!"

Zach replied as the man's grim face gas masked now smeared with mud and blood nodded his head.

"Good. The armor arrives in less than four minutes, I want everyone ready for a charge. The enemy has held this tree line for far too long and I intend to rectify that."

The man said as Jaune grimaced as the four boys began to form up.

* * *

"I _must_ say it is glad to be back with you!"

 _Six_ said as he jogged behind Jaune who was currently jogging behind the armored personnel carrier, as they began to jog behind it. The tall bland colored machine trudged slowly up the muddy hillside it's grinding tracks flinging up scores of mud as Jaune grimaced as a disgusting skulking sound filled the air as the personnel carrier moved up.

 _THUD! THUD! THUD!_

The cannon on the front of the thing fired over a steady line of rounds into the tree line bathing it in orange fire, as Jaune looked to his left where _dozens_ of other similar formation were all making their way to the tree line.

 _FIT FIT!_

The sound of bullets striking the carrier filled the air as it acted like a giant shield for the approaching Bastion students who all jogged behind it using it for cover as they approached the devastated tree line. The scene was repeated several times over as a mass of Bastion student lined up for an armored spearhead, that was attempting to break through a section of the treelines, it was a sound strategy. Gather your forces into one solid spear then thrust into an already weakened enemy line it made sense, even if there was going to be _heavy_ casualties.

Jaune grimaced as all of the Bastion training paid off as he uses his song training drill to follow the grinding tracks of the machine with near machine-like accuracy before he stuck the tree line and the word turned into chaos.

* * *

Jaune's world was turned inside out as it was consumed by a devastating cacophony of sound it became a whirring blur of noise, bullets, and shrapnel as soon as they hit the tree line the APC swerved to the side letting out, however, the hell it as caring into the tree line before forming an armored perimeter behind the students and giving covering fire for the Bastion students filling the air with heavy caliber ammunition as they fought their way into the trees.

The enemy in the tree line had been devastated by the artillery strike leaving nothing left alive as the ground was a charred black mass of craters and scars on a bleached and sterile forest floor. As the hard arcid smell of gunsmoke and the smell of burning flesh entered his nose as the four boys fought together until they reach the mountain...

It was if the very mountain itself had come alive. As bullets and mortars fell like rain from it as the four students fought against the hail of deaf spewed from the mountain. It was a literal wall of death, the hard mountains edifice had been _completely_ covered by pillboxes, redoubts, mortar dens and snipers nest rains pure hell onto the students as they sprinted for a makeshift trench hastily erected by the attacking students that were offering a margin of protection to them as they huddled close.

 _FIT FIT VATHUM!_

A storm of bullets ripped into the makeshift trench line that had been erected beath the towering fortifications of the mountain making Jaune swear as the desecrated body of an initiation student slammed into him vox cast squealing out a string of commands as _Six_ yelled to him.

 _"Sir!_ That's the strike caller! Read his code!"

 _Six_ yelled form roughly ten feet to Jaune's left as the boy was too far to reach the body as a hail of bullets rained into the trench from above.

"His what!?"

Jaune yelled back ducking his head as his shield deflected another sniper round with a familiar _Ping!_

"In his hands! The white piece of paper! Read it to the _vox!"_

He swore as Jaune felt over the dead body gagging as a half blown apart face spilled pink brains onto his armor as the still remaining ghostly pale face had an odd tranquil gaze to it, as he gripped out a piece of dirty white paper from its hands and began reading a string of coordinate into the vox before he came to a blood and dirt smeared sentence that he couldn't make heads or tails of as he cursed aloud attempting to read the note as he fumbled out the words.

 _"Alpha! Pie! Epsilon!"_

Jaune yelled reading out the last muddied string of words on the paper as a confused voice squared back.

" _Epsilon!? Confirm Epsilon strike field correspondent!"_

"Epsilon _confirmed!"_

Jaune yelled before he heard Six swear.

 _"Epsilon!? NO!"_

He yelled leaping over the trench line braving a storm of metal falling onto Jaune's lap pushing the corpse of his fellow initiation student aside and yanking the _Vox_ from his hands yelling into body swearing.

" _Sir! Sir_ just got us killed!"

"What?! The _fuck_ blondie! What did he do!?" Zach yelled angrily firing his energy pistols into the mountain as _Six_ swore.

'He just called in a damned _daisy cutter_ strike and not the bunker buster!"

 _Six_ yelled as Zach stopped firing his pistols for one second as he mouth fell open in a gapping motion as he looked like he was going to strangle someone.

"He _what?!_ Blondie the _hell_ is wrong with you!?"

" I didn't know! I was just reading the paper!"

 _"Goddammit!_ Now I got to save everyone's sorry ass! _Again!"_

Zach yelled before leaping out of the trench and running down its line dodging gunfire and cursing at the top of his lungs as he ran down its length.

 _"Ok! Ok!_ You lazy shits! This is your senior officer _Major B_ speaking! I need everybody to gather up your _piercing_ explosives! I want all of them! I want all of the _Bangalore's, melta bombs, fusion cutters_ and every another explosive you got!"

Zach yelled into a scroll on his arm as he ran back and forth along the trench collecting a variety of weaponry form the students before carrying a stack of bombs to the frown to the trench line. Right as a low droning sound of airplanes came overhead.

"Ok! Follow my lead!" He yelled as the boys ran out from the trench line as they reached the base of the mountain were Zach was reading out from a small piece of paper as they slammed into the wall. Barely avoiding the hail of bullets and shrapnel as they got under the base of the guns as the spread out and began to prepare the weapons.

 _"Here! There!_ And _there!_ Put the bombs there!"

Zach yelled as they planted the bombs on what he _claimed_ to be a weak spot on the mountains defenses.

"Wait! Zach! What's the plan!?" Jaune yelled as Zach grimaced as he and Kage struggled to string together the assorted bombs onto a spot on the mountain.

"Saving _our_ asses! We got to get out before that damned fire bombing comes!"

"What about the rest of the men?!"

 _"Forget them!_ Death Korps only cares about _one_ thing! _Mission success!_ As long as this fort is leveled they don't care how it goes down!"

Zach said as Jaune gained a furious glare at the blatant disregard for life as be began to shout back a response to the boy.

"Cover your ears and nose!"

Zach yelled as the two boys finished setting up the explosives before Jaune grimaced as they all covered their ears as blinding flash of light opened into the air, filling it whit a searing yellow glow along with the harsh acrid smell of burning earth as Jaune opened his eyes to a shocking sight.

There was a simmering hole of burning mountain and burned in the mountain as there was now an four by four-foot hole leading into what looked like a small room in the fort.

"In! _Everybody_ in!"

Jaune yelled as the boys leaped into the hole before the loud that was really a supply room of some type just as the drone of planes filled the air. As a large shadow fell overhead. The boys slammed into the _room,_ as Kage and Zach wasted no time breaking down a bulkhead inside of the mountain base as the four sprinted past the door slamming into another dark plain room as Kage and Zach slammed the bulkhead door shut as the whine of bombs falling filled the air followed by a whooshing of flames came as they slammed the door shut sealing them off inside the base as an inferno raged outside.

* * *

"We made it!" Jaune yelled as Zach swore.

"No, it's not done yet, kid. We were supposed to _destroy_ the base _not_ take it! We just used our one airstrike to take down the enemy, and we killed our own people! At this point, we're presumed _KIA_ surrounded by Fang and completely cut off! Our choices are simple, we fight our way out of this place, or we die. Simple as that."

"I hate to say it but we need to be some real Oum damned heroes for the next couple of hours."

Zach said as blaring red light filled the air as _Six_ grimaced.

 _"Sirs!_ I have multiple contacts on Scroll!"

The boy yelled as his smoking _Vox_ caster sputtered speaks and belched smoke as he hooked up a scroll to his back.

 _"Boss_ this is going to be ugly."

Kage said as the sounds of falling feet filled the air as Jaune sighed drawing his sword and shield grateful to be a close area for a change as the sound of falling feet filled the air, the boy took a final breath and got ready to fight.

* * *

 **AN: There we go! Another day another chapter! This chapter is the push part of the story and marks the halfway point till the _return!_ Now with the boys outgunned outmanned and cut off from their friends with nothing but the weapon on their back and sheer spite to survive let's see how much death we can deal in one chapter!**

 **Well, that's it for now, the stories picking up so if you like it thanks for reading! Our of all my fics I think I'm most proud of this one. It's probably the most noncanon fic I have and the fact that it has a decent amount of followers is amazing. Thanks.**

 **Since it's doing so well I'm going to work on _Game On_ next so until next time!**

 **Have you an Omake.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant! Parth three. _Chilled welcome_.**

"I'd say that went well. Wouldn't you Ren?"

"Yes, commissar. That went as well as one could hope. _Tea sir?_ "

Ren asked leaning forward his dark drab black coats flowing as Jaune smiled His plan was working, _so far_. At least as far as he could tell. The plan was simple. He _never_ intended to shoot the girl. He was just checking her and her _second_. Jaune's plan was this. When two warring groups are in conflict and you need to bring them together. _Nothing_ works better then a common enemy, even if the enemy was him.

"What should we do now sir? I believe that the commanders will be having a change of heart within the hour, and the regiment soon after."

"I hope so. I'd hate to half to shoot them." Jaune said with a smirk as he leaned back tipping hie great har downward as he grinned into his tea. He had seen _two_ things about the regiment that today. One. Ruby _was_ a good commander. Even when faced with a summary execution one that even if it was a bluff was a threat that was real enough and stood her ground shaking given but still holding firm in the face of death.

Second. Her second Yatsuhashi had, more importantly, had stepped up to defend her. Showing that he wanted to protect the girl. And that the real issues with the regimental command chain were just that Ruby was young and inexperienced not that she was a woman, well _girl_ but still. That meant that whatever their differences they were all imperial citizens in the end. They all fought for Oum and they all had a common vow keeping them together.

Now Jaune just had to sit and wait. Soon the regiment would come together seeing him as a common threat, put aside their petty differences and become a smooth and efficient fighting force! Or so Jaune though. He knew that while his plan _was_ solid he knew that Oum had a _sick_ sense of humor. And that at this rate it was only a matter of time before something went horribly wrong and he would be risking his own hide to preserve his _completely_ fictitious and _utterly_ faux reputation as a so-called _hero_ of Remnant.

"Well, Ren no sense waiting around here. What do you say about checking the rest of the barracks yeah? Let's see if they have some decent food for a change."

"Very good commissar. I am a tad _famished_ my self."

Ren said phlegmatically as Jaune grinned. He knew Ren being famished meant he was beyond starvation. Ren had the appetite of the men and the table manners of an Ursa. As the two stood up to walk out the room. Jaune had a _brief_ feeling of dread as he left the warmth of the heating coils. Mediocre as it was as they opened the door to a bright pair of silver eyes.

"Sir!? I'm sorry!"

The sharp voice of Ruby said as Jaune raised an eyebrow at her.

"Assaulting a superior officer Rose? If you wanted you execution so bad you could just ask you know?"

Jaune asked teasing the girl who balked at his word as her face lost the few bits of color it had left as she began to stutter.

"No! No! NO! I didn't mean that! Please! I was just waiting for you to come out So I could...

"So you could?"

" _Not_ attack you?"

"Right... Since you are here walk with us Rose. We are looking for the cafeteria I am _assuming_ you know where it is?"

"Yes! I know _exactly_ where the cafeteria is! Follow me, sir!"

The girl said as the three members of the one of eight began to walk down the bland frigid barrack corridors.

"So sir! Tell me what it's like to be a hero!"

"Hero Rose?"

"You are a hero of remnant! I me-

"Flattery get's you nowhere. And it won't stop my pistol in a week if you have not whipped you group inot shape."

"Of course not! I was not trying to bribe you I was just-

Whatever words she was going to say were cut off as a wall of red and white slammed into Jaune knocking him to the floor.

"The hell!?"

Jaune asked as he saw a pair of _teal_ eyes staring down at him.

" _Falka!_ What are you doing!?"

Ruby shouted as Jaune saw a small woman with ginger hair, pale skin a freckled face and teal eyes looking down at him.

"Get off the commissar. _Now._ "

Ren said calmly as he pushed the barrels of his twin hell pistols to the girls head who _gasped_.

"Oh, my _Oum!_ Who are you tall dark and handsome!" She said as Jaune could not stop the first thought that entered his head.

 _Mouth breather_. Jaune thought as the girl breathed a great gasp of air inot her mouth as Ruby began to panic.

 _"Falka!_ Get off the commissar! _NOW!"_  
Ruby yelled in _the_ most authoritarian tone Jaune had ever heard the girl use as the girl shot up.l

"Sorry commissar! SIR!" The girl yelled leaping up flashing a salute to Jaune who grimaced as Ren helped him up.

"Are you ok commissar?"

Ren asked in his usual phlegmatic tone as Jaune nodded his head.

"I'm fine. But who are _you?_ "

"I'm _Falka! Falka Valkyrie!_ Reportign for duty sir!"

The girl said as Ruby panicked.

" _Lieutenant_ _Falka Valkyrie!_ I'm sorry sir! She's our heavy weapons expert! She's a bit of a klutz but she's the _best_ we have!"

"You _best_ heavy weapons exper is a _bit_ of a _klutz?_ Well at least she's not blind."

Jaune said dryly as the girl began to _suck_ great amounts of air into her mouthas he grimaced at her.

"Why is-

"She had an accident as a girl! She _can't_ use her nose to breathe! She's limtied to her mouth and can _not_ smell either." Ruby explained to Jaune as the girl jumped to Ren

"Hey there! I'm Falka! And you are handsome!"

The girl said as time stooped.

 _"What?"_  
Ren asked as a bright blush that was at complete odds with his face a appeared as Jaune grew a shit-eating grin.

A girl was hitting on Ren!? Ren!? It's not that Ren was _unattractive_ it was just his rater pungent aroma beat whichever potential suitor away with a metal bat. But this? An admittedly _cute_ girl with _no_ sense of smell? Of this was too good."

"Excuse me?" Ren asked attempting and _failing_ at it as the woman pushed on.'

"I'm _Falka! Falka Valkyrie!_ I think we should hang out!"

"I- I Can't! I'm

"Nonsense! Ren, there is a _beautiful_ woman asking for your hand! _Indulge_ her commissar's orders." Jaune said with a shit eating grin as Oum came to pay him a visit as Ruby's _Vox_ went off as Yatsuhais voice broke past it.

 _"Rose! Ther is a brawl in the mess hall! Multiple_ injuries _potential fatalities!"_

"What?!"

Ruby yelled as Jaune sighed

"Well come on now. It won't sort itself out."

Jaune said as the hand of Oum pressed into his shoulder as the group began to sprint towards the mess hall.


	21. Pillar one Hallelujah

**AN: Here we go! Another chapter of Bastion just waiting to be read! In this one we see how the boys get out of one tough spot and we see Jaune finally begin to take a turn as enough stress slowly begins to _eat_ away at him...**

* * *

"Why does this shit _always_ happen to me!? Specifically when I'm around you lot!"

"Don't complain. You like fighting."

"That doesn't mean I want to die!"

"Who said anything about dying?"

Kage asked as he fired another bolt round into a fang blowing their skull apart and blasting clean through him only to explode five feet behind him in a storm of shrapnel rending the surrounding faunus into a thin crimson liquid as it broke them apart in a _pop!_ Of gore.

"Oh, now you want to be an optimist!"

Zach said firing a barrage of green lasers into the fang as the shook and jerked as bolts of emerald energy punched clean through them melting their flesh.

"I'm _always_ an optimist."

Kage said as he fired twice more, as twin bangs! Erupted into the damp corridor as he shot twice blowing twin holes into the faunus line as the men were yanked off their feet only to be shredded by the wall of shrapnel from the rounds as they ran through the corridor.

 _"Six!_ What's our location!"

Jaune yelled as he backpedaled his sword and shield out as he covered the rear of their formation as the small group of Bastion students fought their way into the _Kernel._

The four students had been trapped inside enemy lines as Jaune's near-disastrous attempt at calling in an air strike had landed them smack dab in the middle of a literal fortress as the student's soo found thems alone isolated and without contact to the rest of their allies.

 _"Sir!_ We are progressing along the main pathway into the _Kernel_ proper! At this rate, we will reach a large chamber that I assume to be of some strategic significance in approximately five minutes!"

Six yelled back trying to work his badly damaged _Vox_ set as he tried to manage the dials and knob of the black smoking machine that was strapped to his back as Jaune covered his rear.

Whatever plans Jaune had about being more useful in close quarters were dashed almost as soon as they made their breach. Jaune saw that since the vast majority of fang offenders that bared their progress were at the front of the tunnel.

Making Kage and Zach's range weapon a necessity to clear out the stuffed hallway. The students barely got less than five feet into the enemy base; they had been swapped by a wave of fang that had come to overwhelm them much to the fang's peril.

The faunus came in waves rushing for the front in a line dozens strong only to be just as quickly annihilated by them. Kage's powerful pistols barked into the fang sending glowing yellow softball sized shells into the fang line. The anti-armor charges easily breaking past the line of faunus killing any enemies in their path punching a straight line stopping only for some type of onboard monitors kicked in and the rounds hit their maximum travel line and exploded during the apex o their trajectory and turning the surrounding fang into a fine red paste as they were laced with burning white shrapnel.

Meanwhile, while Kage blew apart scores of faunus, with powerful shrapnel blast. Zach maritaled himself much more precisely. As he shot lines of viridian death at the fine. His energy bolts blew straight past aura an nd armor. Not giving the slightest of cares about any protection of the faunus defenders defense. As the energy slammed into them taking down one faunus per strike.

Every time the angry lances hit the bored deep holes into the fane blase them back and creating small but long holes of smoking bones and popping and sickly charged flesh as he fired a seemingly endless amount of green into the lines.

As the two fighters blasted apart the fang killing the fang just as quickly as they arrived painting the wall of the tunnel red, and filling the groin with gore and corpsed. Hell even some site lining but grievously injured faunus cried out for help before Zach silently but efficiently put energy shot's into their heads or chest as he executed the wounded.

Normally Jaune would have been incensed at the _flagrant_ violation of their rights, and if it was earlier in his time at Bastion might have even attempted to orient hey treat the wounded Fang members or at least not just let them die.

But that was when he was young, and now Jaune just didn't care. Well, that's not true. He _did_ care but just not a lot. These men and woman were _terrorists._ They made their choice in life, and now they paid the price. Jaune thought taking a bloody assault rifle form a fang member whos blood was still warm as the money woman's eyes rolled up at Jaune.

Her admittedly pretty yellow eyes where now murky and cloudy as her eyes glazed over staring off into nothing. He took the weapon from her grip with little effort shoulder the blocky gun and aiming down their rear.

As luck would have it, that proved to be the correct course of action as half a doze fang came from somewhere out form their rear. Most likely hidden passage or a uncheck door s the team was fighting for speed, not thoroughness as the terrorist raised their rifles.

"Behind us!"

Jaune yelled aiming his rifle and pulling the trigger.

 _BANG!_  
Once again his atrocious lack of aiming showed it's ugly head. As his gun bucked and kicked evil one bright angry flashed into his vision as his sprayed bullets all over their line.

Luckily unlike the outside, the inside of the _Kernel_ was a literal kill box, and he gunned down four of the member in puffs of red wounding the other two granting Zach enough time to spin around firing twin bolts into their heads double tapping the faunus in an impressive display of dexterity killing the stragglers as he slid back to the front without missing a bet.

"Where did you learn to aim!?"

Zach shouted virid bolts firing freely as Jaune grimaced.

"I never did."  
Jaune admitted as Zach nearly choked.

"You what?! How do you _not_ know how to aim!? Kage how do you let your _boss_ as you call him not know how to shoot a weapon!?"

"Never seemed like an issue."

Kage said firing again taking a moment to slide as Zach and he shifted positions going back to back without a moment of verbal communication as Zach covered his friend back as Kage reloaded before they switched positions again now with Zach reloading and Kage covering him, as the two acted in flawless synchronicity as the fought back to back along the hallway.

"You never thought that having a full team of people who know how to use guns was a good thing!?"

"I can see now how that might have been slightly short-sighted."

"You don't say."

Zach said sarcastically as Jaune frowned.

He needed to learn how to shoot. That fact was clear as day. The only real reason Jaune did not know how to shoot was actually quite simple. He thought guns were used for killing and Jaune was _no_ killer. Well not then and even now! Jaune did not think of himself as a murderer! Sure he killed, but that was self-defense! I'm not a murderer! I'm not like _Ruby_ -

Stop that! Jaune slapped himself internally for even think that Ruby was monster as he checked the assault rifle. He had no idea what to look for let alone how to even reload the thing, and he made a mental note to ask Ruby how to shoot when if he ever got out of the _Kernel_ that is.

As the boys fought, he made sure to take time to grip every spare magazine the fang left behind. Ignoring the bloodstained black boxes as he picked them up from the ground and moved on.

He would admit saying that he did not be to use a gun because it was used for killing was hypocritical in the extreme, seeing as he used a sword, that was also made for killing. But it was different! Or so he thought.

He always saw the word as a defensive weapon. Something that you used to defend yourself and your family! Not something that you used to kill others. Not that you couldn't use a sword to attack someone!

Jaune was naive, but he was not that foolish. He knows people committed attacks with swords and guns in an almost equal measure, but it just seemed different!

Like if he used a gun some part of him would die, and another part would be born. He felt like if he finally gave in, finally let himself be a killer that he would lose some integral part of himself that he did not want to lose.

Now that idea seemed foolish. Childish and ridiculous! His refusal to learn practical combat techniques had not only put himself, but his allies in danger and Jauen refused to let that happen twice vowed to become at least proficient if not a near Ruby level marksman up his triumphant return to Bastion.

Assuming he did get back to Bastion as the floor went red with gore as the four students made their advance they soon found themselves in the large room that the saw on their map, briefly stolen from the fang's own systems as the burst into the room.

* * *

"Well, at least we can rest."  
Zach said as they entered what looked to be a command center of some type. Probably an old one or a noncrucial one seeing as how it was hastily evacuated.

The four sutured wanted no time securing themselves inside the building as they set up a small perimeter.

Kage blockaded the doors leading into their newfound shelter; Six began working on his _Vox_ device. Trying to get it back in working order so they could have the off chance of contacting the outside, Letting their allies know that they were in fact still alive and that they had successfully infiltrated the _Kernel._

Not that Jaune had high hopes for that route leading or anything remotely helpful. Thier mission was not to destroy the fort not to infiltrate. It. Hell, he and kage were not even supposed to be here! They were supposed to be far above the battlefield traveling to Arcadia to settle a much smaller engagement.

As Zach and Six were most likely presumed dead and Ruby was undoubtedly worrying her head off about him. He wondered if Mika was worried? He had never seen the girl express much emotion being joy and irritation.

As she seemed to live for a _purely_ hedonistic lifestyle and while she did show some concern to her teammates he was not entirely sure the ranking of importance she placed on them.

Really anyone besides Kage seemed to be an accessory to her life rather than an equal part and-

"Ok! Room's clean! Let's take fave and figure out how it the hell we got out of this _cluster fuck_ of a mission."

Zach said hopping down from one of the two metal walkways that lead to the upper floor of the room. It was a what Jaune thought not now be a typical fang outpost. The room had several dozen computer monitors hook of a grated metal floor. ALnogn with one central processor that Six was meddling with as Zach got down.

As the students set up shop Kage cam back from securing the doors with a grunt as they went over their plans or in their case just how the hell they planned on escaping.

"Door's locked. They won't be coming in through there anytime soon."

Kage said in a firm but bored tone as he checked his massive pistols.

 _"Six_ you got something yet?"

"No, sir! But I am still trying! I anticipate that it will be at least another ten minutes before I can breach their security codes and hack inot their audio traffic! After that, I can have more relevant information for you." Six said as Zach called them to order.

"Ok! Ok! You miserable lot what do we have to work with? I mean anything! Tell me what you know what you want to now and if you do have any idea on how the hell we get out of this nightmare alive I am all ears!"

Zach said as Jaune grimaced.

"We don't have coms so we can't call for help."

"You don't say? Not that that would do us any good. Bastion does not do rescue operations for first years usually. No matter how good they are." Zach said pointedly as Jaune as Kage glared at him.

"Don't be mad that we got promoted. Mister _major?_ What the hell had a stoke and decided you of all people should be in charge?'

"Hey! I _earned_ my damn rank! I'm not a major for no reason! Unlike you _glory boys!"_

 _"Glory boys?"_

"You heard me blondie! We can't; all be fancy _toy soldiers_ like you guys!'

"First of all, we are _not_ glory boys. I didn't even want to be in the death korps in the first place. I was just following my leader and teams voices who were insistent on going despite my many, _many_ objections to the course of action."

Kage said given Jaune a glare that he kept and returned.

"I chose for the team. And the majority of its members believe it was right."

"Was it? I would like to point out we did it for the food, not the safety. And while the food I much better I still do not think it was worth risking our very lives for."

"I think we made the right choice. The food saved us. If we didn't have it, we might have broke."

Jaune said silencing the argument as Kage nodded.

"Fair point."

"When did you learn to compromise? Are you going soft? Did the reaper finally get to you? I've seen you her and Hino together sparring. She's gotten better actually. Speaking of her! Where is the hell the little reaper? And you damned pet psychopath?"

"They are still on the plane."

Kage said as Zach raised an eyebrow.

"Still on the _plane?_ The hell? If they are on a plane going to god knows what hell hole why in the seven hells are two bastards here?"

"We fell off."

Kage said plainly as Zach's mouth dropped as even Six's usual difference of authority fell as he raises an eyebrow at them.

"You... you fell _off_ a plane? How...

"There was an anti-air strike that sent him off. I love to catch him, and another round sent us both spill out."

"Wait! Wait for one second! You could keep your fee on loaned blondie, and you made Kage's for some reason sentimental ass jump out to save you only for you both to fall out!?"

"Yes," Jaune said look Zach in the eys pointedly as he began to howl in laughter.

"Oh my god! You two _suck!_ Are you telling me that you were not even supposed to be here?!"

"No. We were supposed to fly over the fight and go on another mission altogether."

Jaune admitted as Zach began to gasp.

"How the hell do you fall off an airplane!? Why weren't you holding on the damn railings? Or the zip lines!?"

"We didn't have any."

"Why!?"

"Becuase Arcadians don't like outsiders. And besides that, we just fell. Our partner is still back on the plane safe."

"You _think_ they are safe. I mean hell they could have been shot down minutes after you fell! You don't know anything!"

Zach said as Jaune glared at him.

"They are fine."  
"How do you know that?"  
"Becuase I know it."

 _"Oh?_ When did your balls drop blondie? That's mean sure you got. If I was not the man I am, I might be intimidated by it. _Might."_

"Speaking of partners. Where is Hino? I don't see her here, is she-

 _"Dumb broad's_ probably somewhere in the hell hole of outside. If you are worried about her don't be. It takes more than a small sea of chemical fire to kill her. She's made of tough stuff. Not as dense as your head, of course, my friends but still pretty dense."

"I do wish you would _not_ call her that. It's offensive int he extreme."

"And since when did Venke Kage care about offending people? Did you really go soft?"

 _"Sirs!_ I got something!"

Six yelled as the bean to cow around him.

"What do you have _Six?"_

Jaune asked as the boy chek his dial as an s of voice exam over his head she.

"Don't keep us in the dark kid! Tell us what's up!"

Zach orders Six began to talk.

"They think that we are a _full_ contingent of students! They don't know that we are only four! They are gathering a large force to purge this room as we speak but are hesitating because they have no idea how far the breach has spread."

"Perfect! They have no idea how many of us there are!"

"That buys us an hour max. Once they know, there is only four of us? We are going to get swarmed and killed."

Kage said firmly as Jaune stepped up.

"No, Zach's right. we can use this to our advantage.'

 _"See!_ Even blonde over here see's my wisdom! But seriously tell me Jaune how in the hella re we getting out of here alive?"

"Like this. Six do you know how many Fang are in the base? Can you give me a rough number?"

"Do you want an exact number or just a rough estimate."

"A rough estimate will do."

"Two _thousand._ And that's a minimal estimate. Maximum? It could be up to five thousand Fang, all with some level of training and the majority in some way armed."

Six admitted as Zach whistled loudly and Kage grimaced.

"Oh _fuck_ me! That's just great! They have more bodies to throw at us then we have ammunition! What now?"

"Now we make a plan."

Jaune said as he looked at the screen.

"Six do you know if they have any centralized leadership? Where is their command structure?"

"I think it would be three levels above us. This base is honeycombed into the entire mountain. It's a lot like our school in that way if you think about it."

Six said as Jaunegrimaced.

"It's like a _second_ Bastion?

Jaune also said as Zach spat angrily on the grated floor.

"Great. We left the hell we knew for one we don't' _Fanfuckingtastic!_ So what's the plan wonder kid? We waiting to die or are you the go out guns blazing in one last blaze of glory way! Or whatever the hell you kids are calling your damned martyrdom these days. Fucking kids, dumb ass ideas."

Zach asked sarcastically as Jaune smiled.

"Neither. I have a plan that's going to get all of us out of this damned place. You just need to listen."

Jaune said as he began to explain their ticket out of here.

* * *

"So _Six_ do you have any family?"

Jaune asked the initiation student who's gosht pale skin was illuminated by the dim blue glow from the terminals as he worked his _Vox_ set into the enemy communications.

"Actually I _do!_ They live in Mistral at the moment, but I doubt that they know much about me."

The younger boy who Jaune guessed to be an early teenager. Maybe twelve to thirteen years at best said as he put a headset over his ears and dialed in a frequency.

"Really? I you have a family then how did you come to Bastion? It's a long way form, Mistral."

"That's an easy one, _sir!_ I wanted to be a hunter, and I was too young to join Haven!"

"So you joined Bastion instead?"

"Sure did! It was the best decision of my life!"

 _Six_ said happilly as he began to turn his dial more carefully as Jaune grimaced.

"How did you even find out about this place?"

Jaune asked as he frowned internally. Bastion was in the middle of no was, and it was not lying they just handed out flyers and-

"I found a _flyer_ for it!"

"Speak of the devil. You what?"

"I found a flyer for the place, sir! They were handing them out in Mistral near where I lived! They asked if I wanted it to become a hunter."

"And you said yes?"

"Sure did!"

"And they took you with no training?"

"They said that previous training was _unneeded_ as I would be trained there!"

 _"Six!_ You shouldn't just join a huntsmen academy with no-

Jaune trailed off as he bit back that _particularly_ ironic statement as Six tilted his head. His light brown eyes and black hair bobbing in the room.

"With no _what sir?_ "

"With no... your family! Didn't you family miss you? What did they say about you coming to an unknown hunstman academy! They must not have been thrilled with you right?"

Jaune asked desperately trying to change the subject matter as Six shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't know. Don't care you know?"

"No, I don't. I know my family thinks I am dead along with my team and they probably spent nights if not weeks crying over me. What about yours? Don't you think your family is worried about you right now?"

"Ehh? _Maybe?_ I mean I didn't have much family, to begin with. It was just me my mom and my cousin working our farm in Mistral."

"You have a cousin?"

"Yup! Only one of my family anywhere close to my age! His name is _Oscar_ , good kid. Kindo of he likes farming _way_ too much but I like him at least."

"Does _Oscar_ know you are here?'

"Nope! And neither does my mom! They didn't approve of me being a hunter, they both wanted me to stay on the farm. And continue the family business! I said to _hell_ with that! I jumped on the first dropship that was taking kids to Bastion and was there on the _next_ day!"

"After that, I met my team got to know them and joined the _Death Korps_ for better food! Then I met you sirs and know I am on my way to becoming a better hunter!'

"Now that you mention it where is your team Six? You've never mentioned them before where are they?'

"Grimm _ate em!"_

"What?!"

"Grimme ate them. Did I not say that loudly?"

"Are you ok?!"

"Yes? Why wouldn't I be?"

"Your team got eaten!"

"It's like Zach always says, _Shit happens_ , you're not special."

Six said in a nonplussed manner as Jauen began to argue before a loud Wham!

Filled the area as Zach tossed a massive book with the words, The seven Psalms on it to the floor making Jaune wince.

"Zach? The hell is this?"

"That! My blog friend is what I like to call int he thief business a problem. A big fucking problem that is going to make our lives a lot more difficult if we don't treat this carefully."

"Kage? what's going on?'

Jaune asked as the boy stalk over his armor making hissing noises like there was kind of servos? Of all thing inside of it as his natural rock-like face became pure granite as he frowned heavily.

"We have a problem Boss. It looks like this isn't just any fortress that we found ourselves in."

Kage said flipped his foot of the books Jauen gave it another look.

 **The seven _Psalms_ of the light. The guide to a batter life and the worship of our _Lord. First_ edition. **

"What's so wrong with this? It's just a book right?'

"No jaune this is not just a book! This is the damn _seven Psalms!_ Do you know what that means!?"

Zach practically growled as Jaune picked up the book and began to thumb through it.

"Not really no. What does it mean?"

"It means we are not just surrounded by a group of deranged terrorist. We are now! Surrounded by a group of deranged _religious_ fanatic terrorist who might see our very existence as a sin that needs to be _cleansed!"_

Zach said as Jaune gulped as he began to read the book.

* * *

"So this is how we die? I got to say I never expected to go quietly, so I'm ok with this."

Kage said as he fired twice to blow the brains out of two faunus as he and Jaune sprinted down a narrow hallway. After the discovery of the book of the Psalms Jaune's decision had become clear.

As he had been hoping beyond hope that he could convince the fang leadership that they had the superior numbers, and use a string of harrying attacks the break their will and make them surrender their fortress to them.

"We aren't dead _yet!"_

Jaune sail sliced for took the leg from a dear woman making her scream in agony as bleed passe this face before he sliced down train her jugular as he and Kage fought their way to their objective.

"Gotta be honest _Boss_. I'm with Zach on this one. I didn't expect you to go full _madman_ with us here. I mean I expected his type of plan form _Mika_ , not you."

Kage said referencing Jaune's new _plan_ to get them out of the fort that was a bit _unethical_ by well _everyone's_ standards.

After the reveal that their enemies were fanatic and that negotiation was a non-issue, Jauen was faced with an interesting problem. There was no way in hell that they could fight their way out of the _Kernel_. No way in hell.

They were severely outnumbered and even if they adopted his strategy, and they did adopt it to cannibalize the guns and bullets using their ranged firepower as a last resort the odds of fighting their way out was slim to none.

Not to mention the fact that there was an unknown amount of fang reinforcements on the outside? Things were not looking good for the four teens. And seeing as his option was limited Jaune made the only decision he could as a leader. They were going to kill them. They were going to kill every last Fang in the damned Kernel, and this was how they were goi n to do it.

"You don't have to like it you just have to _d_ o it!"

Jaune hissed swinging his stolen assault rifle letting loos half a magazine of rounds tearing down half a dozen faunus in a short controlled burst. His aim while nowhere near those of his friends had been steadily improving and with Zach helping him for a brief if not touching moment to quote. " _Get his shit together, and stop almost shooting them in the ass."_

As they fought their way into a narrow ladder that Jaune had to agree. The plan to kill every last Fang in the base was insane to the extreme and the fact that Jaune had been the one to come up with it was a sharp display to the effects Bastion had had on him as he played his plan through his head.

We are going to _gas_ them. Jaune said as Kage raised an eyebrow, while Zach's jaw dropped and Six shifted nervously.

They thought he was insane, but it was not so. Or maybe it was? Maybe Jaune was finally losing it as all the pent-up Bastion stress had finally made him _snap!_

But now the plan was simple. Jaune had ordered Six to find the base's power supply. After a quick look, the boy discovered that the base had a large supply of _natural gas._ That was one part extremely toxic to anything that was not a Grimm. And was incredibly _flammable._

The gas was being pumped inot the base's power generators as the lack of dust from the fans isolation from their main body, and their lack of crude fossil fuel courtesy fo the first mission had driven them to this place the Kernel for it's rich amoung of natural gasses.

The gasses that Jaune was planning to use against them. He had ordered Six to see if it was possible using the knowledge he gleaned from the intercepted transmission and the know that Zach had hacked from captured scrolls, and terminals Jaune had come up with a strategy that bordered on insanity.

They were going to gas them. Jaune had with the information gather decided that if they could flood the base with the natural as they would suffocate the faunus to death asphyxiating the entire base and killing the entire garrison in a few minutes. Allowing them to leave with not only thier lives but the base intact as a reward for the Death Korps command!

The best part was the fact that Jaune was banking of the faunus heightened sense of smell. He was banking that the faunus would need considerably _less_ gas to be killed then human due to their animal treat s and since Six had located a storage room full of gas masks and other time kept in case for gas leaks, Jaune had ordered the attack.

Zach had been able to sabotage the gas pumps main intake valve and as of now, gas was slowly seeping into the room that pumped it. Following that, He and six would go and secure the gas masks and any other survival gear for them While Jaune and Kage would go and kill the _command_ group.

Jaune had learned that the central command hub of the _Kernel_ had a singular shut off switch that if tuned off usual shut down the gas flow killing the plan before it even began so they had to neutralize it.

While Zach and Six secured the survival gear, Jauena and Kage would go kill the command staff.

Which were a group of size elites guarding the command center and Jaune and Kage were going to go there and kill them.

As they sprinted up the metallic catwalk break past the thing metal doors to make the final run out the door, Jaune banked it all on this. He and Kage needed to hit and hit fast as the reached the door, Jaune nodded to the boy who nodded once back before reaching back and kicking down the door in a loud _WHAM!_

Sending the thin metal door frame down with an armored boot as the two rushed into the chamber's harsh light.

* * *

As soon as they enter there was a muted silence as six towing faunus in a mask shot their head up at them making Jaune grimace as a loud _BANG!_

Filled the air as instantly one of their heads was turned on pula s Kage fired once, kill one elite and make the two scrambled for cover.

They never got the chance as Jaune opened fired on them with his assault rifle kicking not as wildly in his hand as he let the full magazine go hit the remaining five faunus wounding them but not killing any as their aura flared and blocked the bullets.

Instantly a hail of bullets slammed into them as other guards and even some technicians drew rifles and small arms as the boys slid under cover of a nearby terminal. Narrowly escaping the angry return fussilade of lead as they dove into cover.

 _BANG!_

"That's _two_ of them!"

Kage yelled as he killed another elite as he ducked behind cover a wall of bullets slammed into them making Jaune grimace as the harsh pings! And things! Of projectiles filled the air making him glare at them the enemy.

The four surviving elites had taken cover behind a wall of a terminal as Jaune eyed them.

As he glared through the hail of lead that was impacting their over Jaune saw them clearly for the first time. Two of the four seemed like normal fang Troopers yet slight bigger and with red marks indicate rank on their chest, on was a brute with a chainsaw like the one form the dead lands as the other?

The other looked more like a _priest_ more than anything. He was clad in long flowing white robes and held a bile of the Psalms in his hand along with a long ordained staff with a shining golden eagle on its tip.

As they were fired upon Jauen saw the end.  
One fang unit had a grenade launcher and was aiming it right at them.

"Kage!"

Jaune yelled as he heard the tell-tale _Thump!_

Of the grenade launching follwed by a small whooshing sound as his world turned into flame.

The next moment was a blur of fired and shrapnel as Jaune jumped out of the way of the blast a wall of bullets slammed into him before the concussive force sent him sprawling backward.

Jaune cried out as seven bullets broke past his shell and aura impacting directly against his armor the as shrapnel found his legs as the bullets found his chest, thig and arm as the harsh coppery taste of blood entered his mouth as he crashed to the floor.

 _"I'm hit!"_

 _"Boss!?"_

Kage yelled as he was caught dead in the open as a wall of bullets found him slamming into his armor making him wince as bright yell sparks filled the air as Jaune saw his own doom looming over him a shadow fell over him.

The priest. The damned faunus priest had jumped out and over his cover forgoing all types of battlefield common sense and was now barreling down on Jaune staff raised high his most feat align with rage as Jaung glared at him furiously.  
"If you want to die first so be it!"

Jaune yelled at the man gripping his sword so tight his palms bleed as he fought past his pain as he leaped at the man prepared to meet his end fighting, as the voice of Zach came through his scroll.

" _The gas is in the command center! Where the hell are you guys!?_

Zach yelled into his ear just as a stray bullet hit Jaune's sword tilting it to the right and making it explode in _flame._

In an instant, Jaune's sword was engulfed in a rolling inferno of fire. As he swung the flaming piece of metal ready to strike down the impudent faunus leader only to find that the room had mysteriously gone quiet and the only sound he could hear besides the crackling of the flames was his own yelling as the faunus had stopped firing at him. And we're all currently on their knees in a bowed position almost like they were _praying..._

 _"My lord!"_

The man yelled as the faunus in the room stop fighting as the also bowed down to the blonde with the flaming sword which looked like the word was turned upside down...

* * *

"You're _what?"_

The sound of a growling engine filled the air as Jauen, Kage, Zach, and Six finally prepared to leave the _Kernel_. The former Fang now current Death Korps fortress was successfully pacified and now the four students were riding out on a former white fang now officially a death korps APC as Zach looked like he had just seen a gohst

"So... do any of you mind telling me what the fuck! Just happened!?"

Zach asked as the APC growled it's heavy motor filling the air with a rough throat growl as it pulled out of the fortress. As the singing began _again..._

~ _Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;_  
 _He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;~ ~He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword;_  
 _His truth is marching on. ~_

The voices of hundreds of faunus sang out as they all rod on their back of their individual troop transport as the mass exodus of military forces form the Kernel began in earnest.

The four Bastion students sat on the back of one of the said transports as they rode away like conquering heroes that they actually were. As the four left they found themselves wishing for dear life that they still had their gas masks still on or that they brought them at least as the faunus soldiers undaunted by the sea of ash or maybe in spite of it continued to chant with renewed vigor.

 _~Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** ~ ~Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is **marching on!** ~_

The faunus sang their tune as the four students sat in shocked silence their minds barely able to process what had just occurred to them. As the former forest was reduced to a sea of ash and the growling roar of the engines along with the metal track of hundreds of vehicles kicked up the ash water strung them into a noxious sea of storms of dust and waste as they rode out.

 _~I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps~ ~They have_ builded _Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;_  
 _I can read His **righteous** sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;_  
 _His day is marching **on!~**_

"They think Jaune's a _god."_

Kage said as he covered his mouth with his g armed hand as Zach's jaw dropped.

"They what!? The fuck!? _Blondie!? God!_? I don't think that it's unfair to ask for some god damned explanation here!"

" _It is said in the seventh verse of the good book of the seven Psalms. That during a time of great suffering a prophet will emerge. He will have hair the color f the sunlight and eyes that shine like the sea. His skin will be pale mo so much to be snow but more like the tone of wheat. He will come in a ball of fire and will bring his righteous wrath to those that oppose him."_

 _"He will be easily recognized by a sword that will burst into flamed at a moment notice and he will be mighty."_

Jaune finished quoting the psalm of the lights Zach balked.

"They... they really think you are a _god?"_

"That's what I said and who am I to say a _damn_ thing different?'

Jaune asked as the four of them rode off into the ash waste staring the day long tip back on Bastion with an army of surrendered loyal white fang in tow...

 _~Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!~ ~Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** His truth is marching on Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!~** ~Glory! Glory! **Hallelujah!** His truth is marching on!~_

* * *

 **AN: There we go! The _Kernel_ is pacified and the boys ride back as conquering heroes! This chapter ended on a bit of an upbeat tone _don't_ expect to many of those, and seeing as it's setting up the rest of the story! The next part is more relaxed and goes a _bit_ into the iner politics that a place like Bastion fosters so until then! Game on is next and thank you for reading.**

 **Ps. In case you were wondering yes team ARKM will go back to Beacon for the VYTAL festival with some _friends_ in tow and spoiler alert! The next time you see the _Kernel_ is the last Bastion arc before the return so until then! Have your self an Omake!**

 **PSs. If any of you thought I am hard on Ruby in this fic so far? You have no idea how dark this is going to get...**

* * *

 **Omake Hero of Remnant Part four. Hard times.**

"This is ridiculous! Less the one full cycle and there is already a riot!?'

Jaune asked as he Ren, Ruby and this Falka girl sprinted through the hallways of the Ruby began to panic.

"This never happened before! The soldiers usually get along great with one another!"

The young commander practically yelled as the four of them tore through the narrow ball colorless wall and floors to the one hundred and eight base as they made their way to the cafeteria.

"What do you mean sir? We always have fights! Even before the men came we use to give one another a good beating!"

 _"Falka!"_

"What do you mean by that Falka? Are brawls commonplace in your unit?"

Jaune asked the trooper as the rouned a corner their boot skidded to a half producing aloud sickening sound as they heard the sounds of chaos coming from the cafeteria.

"Of course! We always did love to give one another a good bloody nose! It's even better with the men around! Especially this one...

Falka said given Ren bedroom eyes as the man looked positively terrified of the woman s Jaune sighed.

"That was _not_ in your report Miss Rose. Do you have a habit of keeping thing form your regimental commissary?"

"No! Not at all! I just did n' think that you would find that tidbit _particularly_ fascinating! Or relevant!'

"I see. Next time Miss Rose do share any and all information let me be the judge of whether it is or is not _particularly_ relevant all right?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

The woman said as Jaune finally reach the doors where the sound of human shouting, glass breaking and the sound of flesh tearing filled his ears as he took a deep breath.

"Here goes nothing."

Jaune said as he raised his boot and kicked down the door.

* * *

It was madness. All around him men and woman bit and clawed into one another, using whatever they could get their hand on for weapons, forks, knives, shattered place, and glass. Even chair handles filled the air as blood flowed like wine and Jaune saw well over a dozen toppers ins serious condition bleeding out on the ground as he glared at the choose.

 _"ENOUGH!_  
Jaune yelled firing his las pistol one inot the air silence the fight instantly.

He soon regretted the action as like a mad beast senses a new threat the entries of the cafeteria looked at him with angry eyes.

It was common knowledge that one of few things that the men and women would hate more than one another was a commissar. A figure of authority and oppression that was here to judge them.

Seein the potential catastrophe of his situation Jaune decide to act.

"Who is responsible for this!? I said who is responsible for this! I said _WHO!?"_

Jaune bellowed in his so intimidating voice as the men and woman of the one hundred and eight flinched in fear as he walked forward menacingly give his number one stare as he crunched both food glass and wood under his boot pistol drawn as Ren covered him hell pistol out as Ruby and Flak coward behind him.

"I do not hear any answers... I Said _who?!"_

Jaune bellowed at the now cowed troopers as he saw his answer. The answer for who was responsible was clear as day as he saw the two fight in the middle. One was a tall woman with brown skin and golden hair fight a monster of a man that looked like he was built form sold granted as Jaune glared at them.

"Sir... I-

"Yes, trooper! You were going to tell me who is responsible!?"

Jaune asked as the woman eeped!

"No, sir! Iw as just going to say I do not know! Sir!"

The woman said as Jaune sighed.

"Very well since no one will step forward, there is only one thing for me to do!"

Jaune said drawing his las pistol make the room gaps before he picked up a stray mop.

"Well then! Come on! Get to work; this place won't' clan itself up now will it?"

Jaune asked as the room balked.

"Ummm... Sir? You aren't going to.

"Aren't going to what trooper? Spit it out! And tell me your name!"

"Sir! _Reese Chloris_ private first class! I was wondering if you were going to discipline any of us! Sir!"

"Well, Reese, since you asked so nicely the answer, is no. For now. I won't have my mess hell amess so come on now! Hop to it!"

Jaune barked as the room slowly like a glacier turning into a stream the tension of the room melted away as the men and woman of the one hundred and eight began to clean up their mess...


	22. Pillar one My sweet lord

**AN: Here we go! Another day another Bastion Chapter! Have fun with this run! It's the set up for the couple arcs that we will stare to see Bastion actually _test_ team ARKM and make them see what life is really like. Last warning if you thought this fic was dark before? Well, buckle up cause this is going to be _hideous_...**

 **Ps. Don't mix drinks. Unless you are ready to die. Or are trying to drown out the existential dread of life!**

* * *

"They think you're a _god?"_

Ludo asked with a look of sheer incredulity on his face as Jaune nodded.

"Yup. According to them, I am the _true prophet of the light,_ and they have all sworn to worship and give all praise unto me."

Jaune said as the man's mouth dropped as even the ordinarily unflappable and perpetually furious Miss Heil looked positively mollified by the story that Jaune just told him.

The headmaster of Bastion paused as he reached into his dark green robes and pulled out a pair of reading glasses, putting them on only to take them off and put them back on his wooden desk.

Only for him to take them off his desk an put them back on his face, this happened several times until he settled on a simple. _"What?"_ Ludo asked still not believe the words coming from the boy's mouth as Jaune sighed.

"They think I'm a god."

" _Why?"_

"Becuase they do."  
Jaune said as the man rubbed his temples.

"So let me get this straight... They think _you_ are a god."

"That's what I said."

Jaune said as the man blinked once then twice as the first inquisitive look came to his eyes that Jaune had ever seen before he burst into laughter.

"That! That is _amazing!_ Good show Mister Arc! I knew that you where the right choice for a team leader! Not only did you come back from your mission alive but!"

The man paused for effect holing one hand in the air before letting it drop.

"You managed somehow to get tossed out of your airplane, have your team split in half, land in the middle of a battlefield lead an assault on the enemy headquarters, which were there to destroy! Mind you. You then called down the _wrong_ kind airstrike and killed hundreds! Yes, you head me! You killed _hundreds_ of Bastion students with that stunt!"

The man said as Jaune balked as Kage grimaced as Zach shrugged.

"Not like I knew _em._ "  
"They where your men!"  
Jaune hissed as Ludo spoke up.

"Good kids too! Fourth-year _initiation_ students and all! But! You then proceed to capture one of if not the most heavily fortified positions in the world along with most of the enemy army who are now fully converted to our side!? Mister Arc you have outdone yourself!"

"Good show! Good show indeed!"

Them man said clapping his hands as Jaune grinned.

"Thank you, sir, it was-

"That is the only reason why I did not _execute_ you the moment you walked in these doors!"

The man said as all confidence left Jaune's body as he blinked owlishly at the man.

"Sir? You were going to execute me? For what?"

"For what? For what!? My boy for treason! Friendly fire! You killed hundreds of good men and women out there! Those were some of our most experienced students that you killed!"

"If not for the literal thousands of trained fang not to mention their equipment! That has put us forward by the decade at the least! I would have had you shot on sight!"  
The man declared as Jaune went sheet pale as Miss Heil glared at him.

"I _still_ think we should kill them."

Miss Heil growled as Ludo silenced her.

"Nonsense! Miss Heil, they have more than paid for their price! We lost hundreds but! We gained thousands! Of good men today! I say this calls for a celebration and promotions! Let's see...

"You and Venke are already maxed out so... Zach and _Six!_ Congratulations! From today onward you and your respective teams are now in the elite core of the Death Korps! Job well done!"

 _"Sir!_ It was a pleasure, _sir!"_  
Zach and _Six_ both said as the man nodded.

"There! Now that that bit of unpleasantness is out of the way let me just say good job! You have all done well today, and there will be rewards for this! Mark my word!"

The man said as Jaune smiled as he and Venke both share a concerned look before Jaune coughed.

"Sir-

"Rest at ease Jaune. I have already contacted your teammates to let them know that you are in fact alive. Both Ruby and Mika both completed their mission and are on their way back home."

"In fact! They reported that it was a rather boring mission. No real action only one or two snipers at best. They will be back in roughly two days, until then? Is there anything any of you four would like to ask me?"

"Sir I-

"Yes, Zach Hino _is_ in fact still alive. Don't look so surprised! As you said, she is a _tough broad."_

Ludo said as his right arm sudden was on fire causing the man to panic.

"Easy there, Miss Heil! You are going to burn the table! With me!"

The man complained as Jaune stepped up.

"Sir thank you for calling our teammates seriously that means a lot to me."

"Think nothing of it, my boy! I said we were friends did I not? From this day onward you are known as the _savior of Bastion!_ You did stop the majority of our charges from starving to death so good job!"

The man said as Jaune grimaced before pushing onward.

"Sir if I may ask this question-

"You may."  
"I was going to ask what happened to the _Kernel_ now that we left it?"

"Since they played such a pivotal role in making sure that it is ours I have decided that the Death Korps will be given _full_ right over it. And as of right now all non-elite Death Kops members are being shipped to the kernel for their _officia_ l Death Korps training!"

The man said as Jaune nodded his head.

"And you say our friends will be back in two days?"  
"I said that more _or_ less. But you know how life is without a few days alone you know?"

Ludo asked as Jaune bowed his head.

"Thank you, sir, I do hope that I have not wasted your time."

"What? Of course not Mister Arc! I love it when my students think critically! Now that this bit of unpleasantness is over! What do you all want for a reward? Zach, you know how this works but Kage! What do you want?"

"More minerals, please. Also more frequent supplies of _shipments."_  
Kage asked as the man nodded.

"As you say. Zach?"

" More dust for my pistols. I want access to the school supply for reloading this guns of course."  
The boy said as Ludo nodded. "Fine. _Six?_ Do you have anything that you want?"

"I would like to stay a part of this squad, sir! My old team died some time ago, and I would love to be an official member of this. The sirs are so cool, and brave, and smart."

"Fine. I am a man of my word so just ask, and you shall receive all you ever wanted! And a little more. You are dismissed."

The man said grinning ear to ear.

* * *

"I'm going to die."

Kage said laying face first on his bed as Jaune agreed with him. There were looking like shit. Even though their aura protected them they still had dark bullet, sword and fire marks and bruises respectively on their legs, chest, and arms. Covering their bodies in a messy patchwork of scars cut's and bruised as they sank into their beds.

As the boy's behest, the headmaster had given them the next few days as death free as possible as the two hit their pillows and went to sleep.

The next day Jaune awoke to a dead silent team ARKM room as he rose from his bed.  
Kage was still knocked out sleeping peacefully on his stomach. Red combat armor still shinning as Jaune got up yawning.

As he got up tired and sore. He felt like he had been run over by a semi, as he cracked his back loudly as the rough day-long ride on the back of an APC had done his back no favors.

Especially when you added the literal ocean of ash he had inhaled was not working out with his lungs, as he yawned once before going to the bathroom to start the day.

As he walked in he shaved used the bathroom and emerged five minutes later Kage as at the door growling softly as Jaune switched placed with time before he came out and went _right_ back to bed making Jaune sighed.

"I guess today I go alone?"

Jaune thought aloud as he left his sleeping teammate and friend alone as he walked outside and left the room.

* * *

As Jaune walked though Bastion he never really talked to anyone in general but still! Jaune wanted friends and even while Kage, Ruby, and Hinow where all friends Jaune also wanted to explore Bastion to see what it was all about.

As he left the room once again strangely empty hallways greeted him as he made his turn into the cafeteria it was a lot more packed but still pretty thin as Jaune saw two familiar faces waiting for him as he got his breakfast and made his way to the table.

"Zach. Hino, how are you?"  
Jaune asked sitting in front of the two perpetually arguing _friends?_ As they both looked up at him, stopping the chatter to greet him.

Or so he thought, as the two had only stopped their arguing to continue eating what he guess was their first _real_ meal in Bastion.

Zach was eating a monster of a steak, with a heavy side of bread and butter as he sliced and stuffed his mouth with food.

Hino on his left was devouring a plate of lamb ribs. The girl's massive gauntleted hands taking the succulent, juicy meat putting it to her mouth as she practically inhaled the meat.

As the two teens annihilated their trays, Jaune spoke up.

"Guys?"

Jaune asked as Zac finally noticed he was there.

"Jaune! There you are! How's my favorite _genocidal_ son of a bitch!?"

Zach asked laughing loudly making Hino raise her eyebrow as Jaune glared at him.

"I am _not_ genocidal for your information!"

Jaune yelled as Zach cocked his head.

"The hell you are not! You were about to gas, literally gas! Every last damned furry that was in that building! Of that, I _approve_ but not with me in there!"

Zach said as Hino finished eating her last rib putting the last glisten bone on the mountain of other as he gulped loudly before turn her beautiful brown eyes to Jaune.

"It is nice to see you again Jaune. I am glad to know that you and Kage are safe. Where is Kage, by the way, is he getting food?"

"No, he's still in bed."  
Jaune said as Hino frowned as Zach scoffed.

"That shit got sick?"

"I think he's tired."

"Tired!? Hah! Weak shit, getting sick at the drop of a hat I hope he chokes!"

Zach said before Hino smacked him with her drill. Slamming his head on the table and knocking Zach clean unconsciousness.

"I am sorry about that. Tell Kage that if he needs anything I am here for him always."

Hino said as Zachs started to mumble underneath his breath.

"What he _needs_ is for you to get off his dick."

Zach said somehow being sarcastic even when unconscious as yet another drill hit him, this one more violent than the last hit him forward.

"Whoops! My bad! my hand slips when I hear bullshit."

Hino said with the most sarcastic expressions her strike brought him back to the land of the living s his sharp black eyes glared at her.

 _"Woman_! What did I tell you! They are never rational! If they can't even keep their damn hands to themselves what am I supposed to do?!"

"Why are you like this why can't you just be normal?"

"Because you love me!"

"I _hate_ you," Hino said as Jaune sighed and decided the Kage had the right idea of staying in bed. As he bid the two bickering teenager goodbye as he left to go back to bed.

* * *

As Jaune left the bickering students, he took a moment to gather himself. On the one hand, Jaune had two days off until Ruby got back and so he had a rare amount of free time in Bastion.  
Not sure what to do and with the evident lack of raids thanks to Sonya's quote on quote _protection._

Jaune thought as he left the cafeteria to go to bed.

* * *

"I got to say, Boss. Never thought you would be the guy to start a _harem_. I mean I always knew you liked the girls but really? A Bastion Harem? I wonder what Ruby will think?"

Kage asked giving Jaune a shit eating Grin as the boy struggled to shake off the twin fox faunus that held onto both of his arms. As they both shouted to him.

" _Me!"_  
 _"Pick me!"_  
 _"Girls!?"_

Jaune asked as the fox faunus both attempted to pull Jaune apart as Kage chuckled.

Thier current situation was one of many similar ones that his leader had soon found himself into as the converted Fang found their way into Bastion.

Apparently, there was a decent amount of them that wanted to meet their so-called _prophet_. As Jaune soon found himself on the receiving end of a monument number of comments like, "My lord! or Milord!" Followed by many faunus students suddenly dropping to their knees and quite literally praying to Jaune as they walked through the hallway.

To say that Kage found this hilarious would be like saying Ruby easily fancied cookies. As Jaune was suddenly the center of attention as a literal flood of students would drop to their knees in wanton _worship_ of him as the new Bastion students dropped to pray.

* * *

At first, Jaune, while flattered was still embarrassed by this, but that took on a whole new level when the twins came in. The twins who Kage was now taking several scroll shots for future use as the twins latched onto his arms.

Apparently, there where some of the faunus that saw the prophet quote unquote at no only be their savior but! They wanted to have a more _intimate_ relationship with him.

As the two began to slyly take off more and more clothing as the thought of having a child with their literal savior had now led to Jaune being seduced in the middle of a Bastion hallway as twin fox faunus run his arm between their chest as Jaune blushed heavily as the girls ground on him.  
" _Kage!_ Help me! _Please!"_  
Jaune begged as Kage chuckled. "What do you want me to do boss? You want me to shoot them?"

"Do _something!"_  
Jaune yelled as a hand went far below his jean making his gaps like a girl as Kage sighed.

"Kage!" Jaune said before the crowd came. Around the girls who were trying to grope his leader making him whimper. Apparently, the white fang took religion very seriously and now Jaune was the literal messiah and some faunus where fighting over the right to bear his children.

Apparently, the faunus liked their religion and while Kage himself was an active participant of the followers of the light, who had a severe issue with his messiah being... his leader.

Took some time to laugh at his leaders embarrassed gawks as the girls gripped him and a literal ring of prayer formed around him.

"Hey! Don't go there! That's _sensitive!"_

 _"Milord_ I'm perfect for you! Let me have your children!"

"No! _Milord_ don't be swayed by that harlot! Choose me!"

The other woman said as both of them apparently got tired of waiting and pushed Jaune to the floor making Kage sigh.

 _BANG!_

Kage fire one pistol shot into the air making the crown stop as Jauen was in the middle of being undressed and groped.

"Ok! That's enough! Everyone out! Your lord does not wish for you to procreate on this day! If you wish to have his child, please come back during visiting hours!"

Kage said before walking into the group of stunned students and yanked Jauen up by his collar.

"Help me...

Jaune wheezed his face redder than his damned armor as Kage sighed.

"As you can see Your lord is tired from smiting the nonbelievers! He will choose the proper person to bear his child at his earliest convenience so until then rest!"

Kage yelled in his best orator voice as Jaune froze.

"Later on!? Kage!"

"I will be awaiting your return, my lord. Just know I will happily bear your child."  
The fox faunus with green eyes and red hair said purring seductively as Jaune blushed before the other came in.

"Milord I am your _true_ wife. Do not let her get to you. I will eagerly await for you to come to me."

She said as the other faunus hissed.

"He will give his children to me!"

"No! He will give them to me!"

The two said before flashing claws as Jaune gulped.

"Girls! Girls! Your lord does not want to see you fight! Surely there is a solution that benefits both of you?"

Jaune asked trying to be diplomatic as the girls cocked their heads.

"Both of us?" The one with green hair and blue eyes said as Jaune suddenly had an idea.

"Yes! I am sure I can find a solution that positively works out for everybody! In fact! I think my second in command can help you out! Kage will know what to say! Right, Kage?"

"Will I?"  
The boy asked cocking an eyebrow as Jaune seethed.

"Yes, you will! Because your leader has ordered you too! Now fix this!"

Jaune hissed through gritted teeth as Kage sighed.

"Ok ok. Girls! As the speaker of your prophet-

"He speaks for you?"

"Milord?"  
"Uh. Yes! Kage is my herald! He speaks for me when I am not here! And he knows a way to fix this!"

Jaune said as Kage grinned.

"Of course. You both want a child from your prophet right?"

"Yes."  
"More than anything!"

The two said as Kage grinned.

"Then the solution is simple!"

"Really?" "It is?"  
"How?"  
The three asked as Kage grinned.

"Since you both want a child and Jaune is only one man he will simply impregnate the both of you! Their problem solved!"

Kage said clapping his hands together as Jaune balked and the faunus gasped.

"Milord...

"That's perfect!"  
The two former rivals said in unison as they both put their hands together and smiled openly at Jaune.

"We will both be awaiting your arrival!"

The two said as the crowd started to chant at the birth of their prophets child as Jaune fought the urge to stab Kage right through is back as the boy winked at him making Jaune want to strangle him.

* * *

"The hell?! Kage?! What were you thinking?!"

"Trying to get you to fix your own mess. _Milord."_

Kage said sarcastilly as Jaune fumed...

"Really? Sarcasm Kage? What am I supposed to do now?!"

"Have sex with both of them and start your very own furry love triangle? It's what I would do."

Kage said sarcastically as he sat on his bed reading of his books as Jaune seethed.

"Kage! This is serious! They think I'm a _god_ and I give them my word!"

"Did you?"

"Well no... but it can come back to bite me in the ass! What am I supposed to do?"

"You could just have sex you know? It's not that hard, well _it_ should be hard, but that's something else entirely."

"Kage you are not helping!"

"And you are not a god. Look Jaune I like you. I really do. _But!_ This is my religion they are talking about and seeing you as my god? Yeah _no._ I'm entitled to a bit of revenge."

Kage said as Jaune sighed.

"What am I going to do about this?"

"I'd suggest having as much sex as humanly possible before Ruby comes back, and you have to explain to her why there are two naked faunus in the bed you _share_.'

Kage said as Jaune coughed.

"I forgot about that!"

"About Ruby? Really?"

"What? No! I mean Yes! I mean what am I-

 _Thump! THump!_

"Hey! You moody shit's! let us in why don't you?"

A loud, irritated voice said as what sounded like Zach said from the other side of the door as Kage and Jaune looked at one another,

"Zach? Is that you?" Jaune asked as voice sighed.

" _No! It's a god damn king taiju! Now let me in! I got gifts for you shits!"_

Zach said as Jaune opened their new stone door as Zach and _Six_ walked in carrying wooden crates filled with bottles of some type as the two boys walked inside.

"Zach? What are you doing here?"

Jaune asked as he and _Six_ walked inside as the tow set down twin large wooden crates as Kage cocked an eye.

 _"Liquor?_ Really? You want to get drunk?"

Kage asked as Zach put down one crat before tossing Kage a bottle full of brown liquid that he caught deftly in one hand.

"No shit! We all just pulled off enough bullshit for a damned lifetime! It's time for some Oum damned celebration!"

Zach said as _Six_ let go of his crate and saluted Jaune and Kage.

"Hello, sirs! It is a pleasure to see you again! Especially so soon! How are you all doing today?"

 _Six_ asked as Jaune nodded.

"Fine. But why are you bringing liquor to celebrate? I mean I know that we just survived but do we need to drink?"

"No shit!"

Kage said in a rare amount of passion as he took of a bottle of Vacuoan whiskey and took the top off with a loud pop! Of his armored hands took it off as he hosted his bott to Jaune.

"Boss? You want to drink with us or not?"

Kage asked as Jaune sighed.

"Sure. Why not?"

Jaune asked as he picked up his own individual bottle of liquor. Atlesian vodka as Zach sat down across from him as he took out a bottle of yellow Vacuoan tequila and opened it with his bayonets.

"All right you shits! Time to celebrate a _botched_ job gone well! To l _ife!"_

Zach said as the four boys toasted their bottles.

"To life!"

They all said as the clinked! Thier bottles together as they began to drink...

* * *

 _"Ok! OK!_ I just gotta ask! Jaune! Who the hell were you on a Beacon team with!? Cause I have no idea who the fuck was able to make you a _somewhat_ decent fighter and put _no_ stell in your back!"

Zach said as he took another long swig of his tequila as Jaune slurred.

"I was on team _Juniper!_ My teammates where Nora Valkyrie! She's amazing! She was the happiest nices and the most energetic girl I ever met!"

Jaune said sliding off this bed slowly still chugging what was now his third bottle of vodka as Zach gulped.

"Really? _Energetic?_ You don't say... How did she look? What was her weapon?"

"Hey! You do _not_ talk about her like that! She was beautiful! And she fought with a hammer grenade launcher called _Magnihild_ for your information!"

"A hammer grenade launcher!? The fuck is wrong with that school!? Whatever happened to _conventional_ weapons! I mean that's what I like about you Jaune! You and Kage both got _practical_ weapons!"

"You got the good ole sword and shield! Nice clean and simple! Kage has his big ass pistols! Hell! Even Mika and Ruby have simple-ish weapons! Although the way Ruby fights with her scythe is an affront to the rules of physics! But really! As soon as you go out of Bastion it' like _wham!"_

"Everyone has _bullshit_ guns like sword grenade launchers! Or shotgun gauntlets or some other bullshit! I bet it won't be long till someone make a damned Gatling gun out of a _purse!"_

Zach complained before taking another drink and going back.

"So who else was on your team?"

"There was Lie Ren. Nora's partner. He was a guy my heigh black hair pink eyes. He had guns like yours-

"I like him! N _ext!"_

"Well, I had my partner. She was perfect! Her name was Pyrrha Nikos-

"The _fuck!?_ You had _her_ as your partner?!"

"Who's Pyrrha Nikos?"

Kage asked sipping his fourth whiskey bottle as he leaned in his bed.

"Why do I even bother with you two? Anyways what was she like blondie?"

"She was _perfect_ in every way, kind, beautiful, smart caring and the best girlfriend a guy could ask for-

"S T O P! HOLD UP! You where dating Pyrrha Nikos!?"

"Yes? Why?"

"You were putting your _dick_ in the Mistral champion!? The fuck!? Blondie!?"

"NO, We never got to sex before you know this."

Jaune said gesturing to Bastion as a whole as Zach stood up.

 _"Unacceptable!_ That is not ok! Kage! I am using my per to call a _man emergency!"_

 _"Man Mergency!"_

Kage said jumping up from his bed and almost landing flat on his face as Zach shouted.

"Jaune! You are going back to Beacon right?"

"Yes."  
Jaune said with pure confidence as Zach grinned.

"Well then! As your new brother and fellow man! I vow to make it my mission to send you back! No friend of mine dates the Mistral champion and does not get to smash! You _will_ go back to Beacon! And you _will_ fuck Pyrrha Nikos! This I swear as a _man!"_

Zach said before a drill hit him on the head and knocked him out.

* * *

"I apologize for my partner. We will be going now."

Hino said staring imperiously over Zach's slouched body with an irritated expression on her brown eyes as he groaned.

"Kage! _Attend_ to your woman!"

Zach shouted as Hino sighed putting one of her massive drills to her head and sighing heavily.

"Zach if you really think that-

"You know you are _beautifu_ l right?'

Kage asked teleporting to Hino's side in an instant taking her wait in one hand and drawing her close.

"Kage?!"

The girl shouted her cheeks going pink as he pulled her close to him.

"Hino. You are my best friend, and you are one of the most beautiful women on Remnant I never told you that before but it's true."

Kage said as the girl lost her cool blushing violently as she began to shake and stutter before finally panicking and punching him in the chin.  
Delivering a killer uppercut to the boy sending him flying backward.

"I'm sorry! I need to go!"

Hino yelled blushing profusely as Kage smashed into his bed as she gathered up Zach and Six dragging them out of the room as Jaune have her a toast.

"Bye, Hino! I'll see you later...

Jaune said as he slurred once before sliding to the floor and knocking out.

* * *

"My head...

Jaune complained as he felt knives digging inot his brain as he moaned out loud.

"That's what three bottles of Vodka does to you."

Kage said as he rubbed his head slowly as he walked out of the bathroom.

As the two boys endured the after-effects of having over three liquor bottles in one night as they fought past their massive hangovers as Jaune finally decided that enough was enough.

"I need to take a walk."

"Have fun. Or _not_."

"Sure...

Jaune said as he opened his dorm's door as a red ball slammed into him and smacked him into the ground.

* * *

 _"Jaune!?"_

Ruby shouted as she smacked her leader as he ground slamming the back of his head into the cold stone floor making his already mind breaking hangover to take on a truly mind-altering form of pain as his world spun.

"Ruby-

"Are you ok!? What happened to you!? Are you hurt?! I missed you so much!"

The girl yelled out crying over the boy coating his face with tears and snot as she would onto his cheeks wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing.

"Ruby! _Air! Please!"_  
Jaune said as his vision went black as Ruby wrapped her arms around his neck choking him to death before her grip received and his sight cleared up.

"Thank you-

Ruby said keeping her compose for one second as she pulled her face off of him before bringing her face close to his and kissed him on the lips. The petite reaper locked their lips together slamming their faces together in an instant.

For one moment time stopped as Jaune felt her soft petite lips meet his as her slive eye sparked as her bionic one shot out from her skull and winked?  
Making Jauen blush as Ruby forced their lips into a kiss for an over thirty seconds before Kage whistled from behind.

"Way to go blondie. And your harem _grows."_

 _"Venke!_ I missed you!"

Ruby said leaping over to the taller boy, ending her kiss with Jaune with a wet plop! As she leaped over to Kage wrapping her arms around his neck and wrapping him in a tight hug making the boy blush.

 _"Red?!_

Kage blushed vivdly as Ruby wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I thought you were dead! I missed you both so much!"

Ruby shouted as Kage flushed.

 _"Hey..._ cut that out...

He said in a decisive un Kage like manner as his cheeks turned red and the boy blushed under the contact.

"I missed-  
"Kage!"

Mike yelled bowling over Kage and sending them both sprawling to the ground, as Ruby let go of him and went back to latching onto Jaunes, side as he smiled with a content sigh. Team ARKM was back reunited as one, and for _once_ all was right in the world.

* * *

"May Jaune Arc and Venke Kage please report to the headmaster's office."

The announcement system asked as Mika began to ohh

"OHHH! You are in trouble!"

The girl said reading a book on her bed as Jaune sighed.

"Mika we are fine. Thanks' for the concern though."  
"No problemo Mister ~Boss man~! Take care have fun!"

The girl said as Ruby waved.

"Be safe!"

She said as Jaune and Kage nodded once to both of them as they walked outside and went to the office of Ludo to see whatever fresh hell he wanted them to see.

* * *

"Ah Mister Arc, Mister Kage. Such a delight. Come in! Come in! You'll catch your death out there!"

Ludo said in an eerily calm tone as he sipped a steaming mug of something from a pristine white much as he and Miss Heil greeted them.  
Or Ludo greeted them, and Miss Hell simply did not immolate them and counted that as a greeting.

"What do you need from us?"

Jaune asked as the man grinned.

"Bold? I like it. You two are going on a mission alone."

Ludo said as Jaune cocked his eye.

"Alone? What about our team?'  
Jaune asked as the man took another sip from his mug, as the large fired roared in the background and still failed to warm the room, which still had a chilled feeling.

"They will not be going you see this mission is what you might call delicate situation. And requires a group of student that are how you say? _Diplomatically minded?"_  
Ludo asked as Jaune frowned at him.

"Diplomatically minded?"

Jaune asked as Miss Heil answered.

"Meaning you two are some of the only students in the first year who ask first and shoot later. We need you to talk to a potential sensitive ally of ours."

The dean said as Jaune nodded.

"Who are they?"

Jaune asked Ludo grinned.

"Tell me Mister Arc."  
Ludo said pulling out a large manilla envelope and showing Jaune a massive folder filled with pictures of men and woman dressed in red and grey outfits and all armed with a variety of weapons as the man grinned.

"Have you ever heard of the _Branwen_ tribe?"

* * *

"I do not want to die!"

Jaune yelled killing a charging pure white Beowulf as it tried to bisect him with its claws. Crocea Mors came down on it slicing the white monster in two as the blizzard roared around him.

 _BANG! BANG!_

"Down!"

Kage yelled as he shot twice killing two more Grimm as the two fought back to back.

The two boys were dropped off the middle of nowhere to wait for a so-called sensitive contact to meet them.

The bullhead pilot told them that they would be waiting for half an hour but less than five minutes in them were surrounded by a wave Grimm in the slammed into them as the blizzard howled as the boys fought back to back.

As the fought back to fight, their vision went snow shie as the blizzard howled as the ass end of Atlas greeted them with full furry as even more Grimm surrounded them pressing them further back into the flurry.

"Boss! Plan?!"

"Keep fighting!"

Jaune yelled stabbing another Grimm in the stomach only for two more to take its place.

"I meant a _good_ plan! And preferably one that gets us out of this shit alive!"

"Do you have any better ideas?!"

"Stop whining and die like men!"

A voice yelled as a charge Beowulf was nearly incinerated as a yellow light came from nowhere and took out its head ina bling fast as the monster fell to the ground n a puff of snow and blood.

As the monster fell a woman suddenly sprinted onto the scene. She was a young woman with tanned skin and green eyes.

She was clad in a furry coat and paint, and her short cropped brown hair was tied in a ponytail, and she had what looked like a pair of bladed gauntlets on her hands.

"Who the hell are you?"

Jaune asked the woman who diced an Ursa in two before firing a belief yellow light at the horde cutting it by a third as she laughed once and turned back to the boys.

"My name is _Vernal_ , and I am your contact. Come with me if you want to live.'

She said as the Grimm came back and the three prepared to fight to the death.

* * *

Two hours and many, many disintegrating Grimm bodies later Jaune, Kage, and Vernal as she was called where in the middle of a camp of sorts as Jaune finally understood what Lude meant by a sensitive contact, and needs a group of students who were _diplomatically minded._

 _Bandits!_ Ludo was allying Bastion with a clan of bandits of all things?! This was ridiculous! But it made a strange amount of sense.

Ludo knew that Jaune would never fight an enemy that did not threaten him or his friends.

And Kage probably just didn't give a shit. And would simply do what he was told regardless of who he was dealing with.

The boy would probably deal with the devil like it was an ordinary act. And had a moral compass so far in the red that morality was a joke.

Both boys would not shoot off the bat and would for entirely different reasons be more open to listening, to talk _first_ and shoot _second._

He played us Jaune thought as Kage tapped his shoulder.

"Be careful Boss. I don't trust them."

Kage said as Jaune nodded.

"Me either let's keep going."

Jaune said as the two made their way past a bustling village of men and woman in snow garbs moving two and for as they made their way to a large tent that Vernal showed them in.

"Our chief awaits you. Go."

She said opening the tent flap as Jaune and Kage walked inside.

Instantly most of the harsh cold left their bodies as they felt a hot glow entered them.  
The tent was filled with a warm firelight and was actually warm, and no like the cold artificial fire of the headmaster's office as the two walked in a tall, lanky man rose to greet the two.

He was a tall man with grey hair and blood red eyes. He walked with a shifting gait and a permanent stumble, and he reeked!

Jaune had just recovered from a massive hangover, and this man smelled like a bar! Either way, Jaune grimace biting his tongue and holding out his hand.

"I am Jauen Arc. From Bastion. And you?"

Jaune said as the man shouted out a hand and gripped his with a surprisingly strong grip as Jauen winced.

"The names _Qrow Branwen_ , leader of this here tribe. Nice to meet you..."

* * *

 **AN: Dun dun dun! And there we go! Our favorite drunk bird enters the picture! What happens next when the two most _diplomatically_ minded of Bastions students must assist a bandit tribe to win their loyalty? What will the bandits need? What will happen to our boys? What is happening back in Bastion while they are away? Why did they get called alone? And a kiss!? Lancaster _confirmed_ or...**

 **Until next time _Game on_ is next as that is quickly becoming my most popular fic and is in demand! Until next time have a good day and as always thanks for reading.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant. Part five tough decisions...**

"I know what you are going to ask Rose so ask."

Jaune said sipping his tea as Ren stood guard behind him.

The one hundred and eight had just received their orders to move out. There was a small city out in the middle of nowhere. Near the more Bass Ackward parts of Vacuo that had _strayed_ from Monty's light.

Apparently, there was even a rumor of a damned Light temple getting involved there.

Jaune shuddered to refuse to think of the last time he tangled with the members of the light.

Those damned technophiles and their obsession with technology and religion. He dearly hoped that whatever passer for governorship on that city was not as stupid as they were greedy.

As clearing out a light, cult could take literally decades to complete, and decades were not something Jaune had.

As Jaune sat there, Ruby gulped as Yatsuhashi nodded behind her encourage his commanding officer and onetime rival.

"What is to be the fate of the troopers you have in the brig?"

Ruby asked voice shaking as Jaune sighed as he went over his files.

"Atlese Arslan. Mei Zhedong, Sage, Scarlet and a Penny Polendina. They are all to be tried and potentially executed pending a hearing."

"NO! You can't!"

Ruby shouted as Jaune sighed as he took out his las pistol and placed it gently on his desk.

"I can do what is within my power. And executing them is. Now Ren, some tea please."

"As you say, _commissar."_

"And do give that Flake girl a date. She's cute."

Jaune said as Ren gulped.

"As you say, sir... Although it is most improper...

"You'll live. Either way, I will decide on what to do with them alter. Until then? Dismissed."

Jaune said as Ruby frowned before raising her hand as Yatsuhashi swatted it down.

"Not now Rose."  
"But!"  
"Not. Now.'

He said as the two left the command room and Jaune sighed.

* * *

"What a mess...

Jaune said as a fresh bowl of refreshments was placed in front of him.

"Thank you, Ren."

"Of course sir."

Ren said as Jaune sipped the beverage as he began to think.  
He really, really did not want to execute the troopers. They all had outstanding records of service.

Well, maybe not all of them. As one trooper in particle ranked his hackles something fierce.  
One _Mercury Black._ A troublemaker in the brig long before any of this, he was in the regiment best marksmen but apparently got a little careless on the field and started plucking away at civilians to get some kind of kick.

He was in the brig pending review as Jaune stared t him. He was young, with light skin and silver hair, an orphan form some hive, much like himself and was apparently just as fine with being executed as he was with getting a slap on the wrist.

"I'll need to watch that one."

Jaune member as he went on.  
 _Arsalan_. The female regime best heavy weapons trooper and expert in close quarters. She was fightin _g Sage._ The mountain of a man that she and he had nearly ripped each other's throats out mere hours ago.

They were in lockup pending commissarial review as Jauen went on.

 _Mei Zhe dong._ Another sniper. A female nowhere near as good as Mercury but a decent number of confirmed kills some on enemy commanders which were nice.

Then there was _Scarlet_ and _Penny Polendina._ This was the curious case. As Scarlet had been injured in the fighting and Penny, the resident medic had come to save him.

Unfortunately, some of the other women did not want her to save a man and tired of killing him. Penny gunned them down with an automatic las rifle fire as she killed them in less than a moment.

Jaune was surprised she was in here, not on behavior but on psych evaluation as she showed no guilt or remorse at killing he fellow soldiers.

"What a day. Why do I have to decide this? I don't want to kill them. Why can't they be of use?"

Jaune asked aloud as Ren sighed.

"We are used by Oum until our time is done."

Ren said as Jaune was about to ignore his unflappable moral pragmatism until it stuck him.

"Ren! You're a _genius!"_

"Commissar?"

"That's it! We all serve until we are done!" Jaune said as he began to type.

* * *

 _"Arslan! Black! Sage! Scarlet! Zhedong! Polendina!_ You have all been found wanting!"

Jaune yelled as the affirmation criminal were all lineup parade style for judgment. As Jaune parade them out in front of their whole regiment, he had a plan, and he needed it to be done now. And with everyone watching of course.

"You are all found guilty of heinous crimes not only against the regiment but the emperor! Your punishment... Is _death!"_

Jaune yelled as the gasps of men and woman filled his ears. "NO!" Ruby cried tears falling from her eyes as Yatsuhashi glared at him.

" _Bullshit!_ " Arslan yelled as she shook her sandy blonde hair at him.  
 _"Why!?"_

Scarlet cried as Black scoffed.

 _"Eh?_ I guess we all got to die someday right?"

Mercury said with a shrug like he could care less. And he probably could too.

"How will we be executed? I hope it is painless. If you'd like I can fetch you several files on various painless commissar approved executions used over the years."

Penny said not even blinking and sending a shiver down Jaune spine.

Wait for it; you need to make this good. Jaune thought as he began to pace.

"Since you are found wanting it is within my right to put you all to death! But! I have found a better use for you."

Jaune said as a low murmur broke through the crowd as the once furious shouts began to murmur.

"So we aren't going to die? Eh."

Black said as Penny nodded.

"If not execution the what is to befall us, commissar?"  
The redhead asked still _refusing_ to blink as her piercing green eyes locked onto his as Jaune shook.

"You will all be given the honor of forming the regiments first! And hopefully, _last! Penal Legion!"_


	23. Pillar one Free Bird

**AN: Short chapter! Running late tonight so tired Sorry about that! Next chapter longer so until then!  
**

* * *

"Qrow Branwen. Nice to meet you."

The man said holding out a hand to Jaune who took it and shook. The man had a strong firm grip that made Jaune smile at him.  
"Jaune Arc. Also."  
He said with a slight smile as the man gave him one back. He was a tall man with jet black hair and blood red eyes. He smelled like liquor but showed no clear signs of intoxication as he grinned.

"So you are the one's Ludo sent to help me with my little problem then? I gotta say I don't know what he means when he said he was sending his best but he's never steered me wrong before. I'm assuming you were briefed on the _situation_?"

Qrow asked as Jaune shook his head.

"No. We were told that we would be helping you with a little problem of yours. But Ludo gave us no further details... I was hoping you could fill us in more. I don't like to fight blind. And I am assuming we _are_ fighting."

Jaune said as Qrow? Gave a sharp bitter laugh reaching into his pants and pulling out a silver flask and taking a long swig from it as he swallowed heavily as he put it away.

"So let me get this straight. Ludo just picks you up sends you all the way to the literal ass end of nowhere. No information about where you are going. No knowledge of who is going to be meeting you there or what your goal is beside to quote _"help."_

"And he then he just leaves you to fight and die alone in the wilds?!"  
Qrow asked incredulously as Jaune and Kage shared a glance.

"Ummm _yes?_ That's about it."  
Jaune asked nervously as Qrow gave him an unreadable look before giving another short bitter laugh as he drank from his flask again.

 _"Typical_ ludo! That bastard hasn't changed a bit! Gives you no information and still expects you to get the job done! Sounds just like him to."

Qrow said drinking again as Jaune chuckled.  
"You know Ludo Qrow?"

 _"Know_ him! Kid me and Ludo go _way_ back!"  
Qrow said waving his arm out showing off his impressive biceps as he did.

"I've known him ever since I _left_ Beacon and he's saved my ass more times then I can count!"  
"You were at Beacon?"  
Jaune asked as Qrow nodded.

"Sure was! You are looking at a proud former member of team _STQR!_ Team _strong_ if you liked us! Or team _Stork_ if you didn't or knew how to spell."

Qrow said with a half laugh as Jaune grimaced.  
"How long ago did you go to Beacon Qrow?"

Jaune asked as the light left his eyes as Qrow gained a tired look on his face.  
"Kid I went to Beacon a lifetime ago. When I was a wide-eyed young youth with dreams of saving others and _chasing_ skirts! That was before...

Qrow droned off as his face hung low as a pained grimace came over his face as painful memories washed over him.

"What happened at Beacon?"

Jaune asked as Qrow's lips turned into a nasty snarl.

"I trusted somebody I _shouldn't_ have! That's what happened! I thought he had my best interest at heart with all his talks of maidens! And saving the world! But he played me! He played my team _like_ the fools they are! And the worst part is they don't even realize it. They think it was all _for the greater good._ And I'm the _disturbed_ the Oum damned _immortal body snatcher!_ Bunch of lousy blind hypocrites!"  
Qrow suddenly yelled slamming a monstrous scythe into the floor that looked disturbingly like Ruby's as Kage, unlike his pistol holders.

 _"Easy_ kid. No need for all that. I'm _just_ a dusty old bird venting on the past _and_ present stupidity of his friends and family. Now come on we have things to discuss."

Qrow said inviting Jaune and Kage to a small table at the far end of the hut as Kage gave Jaune a look at the blonde nodded to him. As Kage calmed down re-clicking his holsters as his black hair glittered int he fir light as the two boys walked to the man who was now busy serving them tea as they went to go sit by the roaring fire.

* * *

"Now I'm not going to sugar coat it for you two. It's not looking good for us." Qrow said as he pointed to a large white map on the center of the table. It was a well-detailed map indicating their current position with the word _tribe._ Written in bright red letters with the word them.

Written far south-east of the map with bright red arrows showing what looked like an attack that was coming and coming soon as Qrow pointed to the map.

"We are under attack by an enemy force. They have better weapons better equipment and are _much_ faster than us. If my tribe my _family_ is to survive we must destroy them. Soon."  
Qrow said giving Jaune a steely look as he nodded.

"What do you know about them? Who are they and why are they attacking you?"

"They are a _rival_ group that is in _direct_ opposition to us. And will stop at nothing to see us eliminated. If we stop them, we stop them here. If not we die. Every last one of us including you two." Qrow said making Jaune grimace as he looked at the map.

"What makes them superior? Weapons? Training? Numbers?"

 _"Weapons_ kid. There ain't a man out there alive to outfight Branwen and live to tell the tale. But they got the numbers, and more importantly, they got the advantage of _speed_ on their side."

"Speed? What do you mean?"  
"I mean machines! They are chasing us in an armored column kid. I'm talking _APC's, scouts,_ hell! They even have _tanks!_ I mean main battle tanks! I'm talking about _Tigers_ here! They have been hounding us for weeks, and now we are at the end of our rope. If we don't end this soon, it's all over for us."

"What advantages do we have then? We can't fight enemy armor with nothing but will and ice can we?"

"Kid I've won longer ods with worse but not like this. We are not all fighters. We have _old, sick_ and _young_ here. If we try to outpace them, we will leave many of our own to die. And I refuse to let that happen. The old tribe might have done that but not me. I changed things for the better."

The man said as Jaune looked at the map.

"Then what's the plan? And how can we be of help?"

"Eager? I like that! Even if you are _blonde."_

"What's that have to do with it?"

"My teammate was a _blonde..._

"Did you and he have no issues?"  
"No.. I wouldn't say that he just never kept his _dick_ in his pants. Even when it was our own team, be it, my sister! Or partner!"  
He yelled slamming his teacup on the table but not breaking it as he sighed.

"They never even left the room... Anyways back to this. We do have _one_ advantage right now that's shifting the fight in our favor. The enemy is getting hungry. They know we are starving tired and running out of room to run away. They are eager for the kill and that's made them sloppy. They think us weak."

"And so far they are right. At this rate, we would have starved in another week. But that's where you come in! We are going to change this fight and win the day!"

Qrow said pointing to a pass on the map with his finger and sighed.

"Heil fire pass. This is the nearest way to our camp by vehicle. They will be attacking it in full force in two hours. There is where we fight."

Qrow said as Jaune looked to the narrow pass of snow on the map.  
"So we funnel them in and attack them while they are clustered?"

"Hey, you catch one quick! Even for a blonde but yeah. We have recently acquired some rather effective anti-vehicle weapons from a contact of ours and are having all available fighter mount a last-ditch defense of the pass."

"That pass is a natural choke point. If they try to force it and they will they will need to split their forces to avoid too tight of a cluster. That means the column will split along two lines allowing us to deal with them at half strength."

"How will we deal with them? What kind of weapons did you acquire?"

"State of the art _tread-fethers_ kid! These things were made with killing tanks in mind, and they are so easy to use even a blonde can use one! _Some_ offense."

" _Some taken,"_ Jaune said dryly as he went on.

 _'_ "Anyways! To pull this off, we needed a bit of help with this operation, and since Ludo owed me a favor, I'm calling it in. He sends me two of his best, and in return, the tribe helps him out in a moment of his choosing. So how about it kids? You two up for a little clash of tanks?

Qrow asked as Jaune and Kage shared a look before nodding.

"It doesn't look like we have much of choice."

Jaune said making a joke but regretting it as soon as he saw Qrows face go hard as grand as he spoke in a deep rumbling voice like crunching gravel.

"There is _always_! A choice. Jaune. _Never_! _Ever!_ Let anyone, be they man, Grimm, or god! himself Tell you that there is _never_ a choice. We decided our fate and destiny, and anyone who says's anything different is a liar _and_ manipulator who you can only trust how far you can throw him and his damned _cane!"_

Qrow snarled as Jaune gave Kage a worried look as he shrugged his armored shoulder as his brown eye reflect the firelight as Qrow sighed.

"Sorry old habits you know? Now let's get you bys outfitted with some guns huh? You can't kill a tank with that word now, can you? _Or_ those pistols!"

Qrow said as the boys grimaced as they prepared for an armored fight.

* * *

"This your first time dealing with armor?"  
Kage asked as he and Jaune stood in a shallow blue tent as the looked over their new equipment.

In Jaune's arm was a thin beige tube. It was about one and a half feet long with a trigger, barrel, scope and spilled for loading as he held up the _tread-fether._ As it was called as he picked up the anti-vehicle weapon he recalled their plan.

The plan was fairly simple. The enemy armor would come at them at two places, and the bandits as they were called would launch an infantry attack on them.

They hade the terrain advantage and the ability to use cover. And it was also learned that their unit armor rocket outranges all but the tanks of the enemy giving them a significant advantage in the upcoming battle as Jaune opened his treat deather as he sighed.

"Yeah. Didn't really expect to fight against enemy tanks when I joined Beacon you know?" Jaune asked with a wry grin as Kage shot him one of his usual mirthless smiled.

"Really? What about armored Grimm? I mean just because they don't have tanks as we do does not mean that they don't have their fair share of thick armor that needs to be cracked."  
He said as he folded and unfolded his _tread-fether._

Already a master at loading and operating the gun as Jaune sighed.

" I knew that it's just...

"Just what?"

"It's just I don't know! I didn't _want_ to kill people. I know that sounds foolish now but back then? Back then I just wanted to help people. I didn't care what happened to me or what I had to go through, but I just wanted to help others. You know what I mean?'

Jaune asked as the quite boy paused as he face became unreadable for a moment as what looked like a pained expression came over him.

" _More than you know."_  
Kage said as he unfolded his weapon taking one of the may rocket on the table and fix it to his armor, as the magnetic lock on the projectiles made for easy carrying.

"Come on. We've talked for too long already. We have things that need to be killed."

The boy said as Jaune saw a dark look in her eyes as they left the tent and went into the snow.

"Jaune right you're with me."  
The woman Vernal? Said as Kage gave him a look, and Jaune knew that Kage would go where the said go as he sighed.

"It's fine Kage. I'll be ok."  
"You _better._ Ruby won't let me live it down if you get so much as a scratch so stay safe. For _her."_

He said as he went to join the other wing of the defensive perimeter as Jaune and Vernal walked together.

* * *

"Have you _ever_ fired this weapon before?"  
Vernal asked in a harsh, clipped tone as she and Jaune walked through the village. It was still a bustling community of children, elder people and some young adults not fit for combat went to and fro.

Collecting wood, water, and doing various other tasks that seemed to keep the tribe as it was called a float as Jaunr shook his head.

"Not one day in my life."

Jaune said as she sighed.  
"I know you've killed. I see that look on your face, but have you seen a real conflict? Like official war?"

"Once... I don't like to think about it."  
Jaune said as more of artillery fire and _cold dead earth_ rushed him as Vernal grimaced.

"You won't have to. This is going to be bloody. The enemy is _far_ superior to us in numbers and strength. The only advantage we have is range and terrain. Qrow is confident that we will succeed and I have utter faith in him, but I am not convinced as he."

She admitted her brown eyes falling as Jaune grimaced.

"Why do you like Qrow so much? What has he done to make him such a respected leader?"

"Qrow saved us. He turned us from a group of squabbling bandits obsessed with strength and power. Into a well organized self-sufficient fighting force that looks out for one another and is _neigh_ invincible in battle. He's made us what we are today, and I will never forget that."

Vernal said reverently as she and Jaune made their way into the snow.

* * *

"This is it. We wait until they reach our firing lines then we open fire. This is where we hold. There can be no retreat."

Vernal said in Jaune's ear as the two sat in a snow-covered foxhole next to over three dozen more similar holes as Jaune unfolded his Tread feather.  
It was a remarkably simple weapon to use in reality. It was lightweight portable and the rockets if fired only weighed ten pounds each.

As Jaune aimed with his weapon, the scope pooped up revealing its holographic nature as a small line of green popped up on top of the ting barrel point to the side that fired as Jaune stared it down.

Currently, the holographic scope glowed a bright green, and Vernal assured him that it would glow crimson when a target was in range and that he was not to fire until he saw that turn red.

As she and Jaune waited in the foxhole, it was quiet. Oddly quiet.

As the lightly falling snow filled the air resting on top of their heads, as the two were covered inf res falling layers of whited as Jaune aimed down his sights still not seeing anything before it came.

Jaune saw it at first and thought it was just an illusion. A trick of the light as the afternoon sun reflected off of the ice. But after a moment to confirm, he saw it was no trick of the light.

"There they are!"

Vernal said as raised her weapon as Jaune saw it. A small but ever-growing cloud of snow was approaching as the first wave of enemy armor approaching.

The enemy force according to Qrow was comprised of around weighty APC's making up the bulk of their troops along with eight heavy tanks. _Tiger_ classes according to him. That made up their thickest armor and most damage.

Luckily the snow limited the amount of heavy armor they could field at any one time as Jaune was grateful that he had less armor to deal with.

As the collum approached the small cloud white grew in size until it was a massive storm cloud that was rapidly approaching them as Jaune sighed.

This was it. This was different than the _badlands,_ different than the _Kernel._ This time he was not only killing humans, not fang. Not people who he could justify with but this was just business.

He would be taking part in military operational against those whose interest ran contrary to his and for all intents and purposes could be totally perfect people. People that he would soon be killing.

Jaune thought as he made out the first enemy APC. It was as hor fat thins, propped on six massive snow tires. It had a low framed with a small domed top that one long cannon stuck out of as the first of many came.

"Wait until they split."

Vernal ordered as the enemy armor broke apart and split in two. Half of them going to the side where Kage was and half coming to him. As Jaune raised his tread-fethers as he watched it's scope wink from green, to orange to red as he heard Vernal grunt.  
 _"Hold..._

She said as the roar of the engined could now be hard as Jaune thumbed his trigger.

"Hold...

She said as the first ten vehicles made their way onto the ice path that leads to the tribe.

"Hold...

She said as the vehicle got so close Jauen swore he could see the dark stan window as Vernal shouted.  
 _"NOW!"_  
She yelled as Jaune pulled the training to his gun as a low _whoosh!_

Sound was heard as the rockets flew out as soon as the holograph turned red, as the rocket shot forward, two feet where it seemed to _hang_ in mid-air.

It seemed to pause mid-flight as two dozen more rockets fired on the same thing hanging as one before onboard thrusters activated in them as they rocketed forward in angry red whisp as they slammed into the convoy.

It was an instant effect as a set of red dots appear in the convoy as the rockest slammed into them. Jaune watched as the angry _whoosh!_ Of the _tread-fethers_ slammed into the convoy gutting the APC's like they were made of paper.

One vehicle was hit in the side as a rocket blew part it's entire right side as it stuttered and lost traction losing all control and tumbling off the side of the mountain pass and passing out of sight only for a dull _whump!_

To be heard followed by a cloud of smoke as it felt. As it died much more met its fate. As one took a rocket to its front, its armor buckling under the impact of the hit as it tipped forward. Going face up in the snow before skittering to a halt.

As it crashed, the two on it's left, and right were torn apart. As rockets slammed into them blowing them into pieces. As one vehicle was ripped clear in two. As half of it fell off into the sky, it's ammunition reserves cooking off and firing wildly as it did.

While not was caused in on itself slamming head down inot an otherwise unharmed APC making them both explode into a bright orange cloud of fire.

As the one of the left had its wheels blown off, for it to skit to a scraping stop only to be rammed by the one behind it causing them to crash into one another, forming an ugly pile up, as one of them literally ran over its allies only to go flying off the side to disappear as another _whump!_

Was hear followed by smoke. Jaune saw his own rocket hit right through the cupola of an APC as the shot tore right inside before a sun appeared inside of it sending it flying high in the air before crashing down on another making that one up in a miniature sun.

 _"Reload!"_

Vernal yelled as Jaune ducked behind her reloading her tread-fether as Vernal aimed and fired.

 _Whoosh!_

Another whooshing sound filled the air as Vernal fired taking out another Apc in a bright plume of smoke as Jaune slammed in a new rocket as his holograph flash green.

 _"Reload!"_  
Jaune yelled as Vernal sucked behind him as Jaune stepped forward.

The path was chaos. As the first line of rockets had proved devastating to the enemy armor. Terina part and ripping them asunder. Tossing jagged flaming corpsed of metal off into the snow as Jaune aimed down his sights.

 _Whoosh!_ Another whooshing sound cam fire into a reversing APC blowing it off it' s high train fully half of the things top off as he did.

 _"Reload!"_

Vernal yelled as he did. Thier plan was simpled. One fired one reloaded. This kept a steady rate of fire onto the enemy and never gives them time to recover. As Jaune and Vernal worked like a well-oiled machine.

As did all the other bandits as they rained a never-ending stream of angry red comets onto the enemy. The Armor as so bogged down that it could not advance as the road it was on was chocked with the bodies of their comrades making their advice paused and made them easy targets for the Branwen snipers.

But all good things came to an end. After killing around, _sixty_ percent of the enemy armor what looked like an easy victory took a turn for the worse.

Several armored units made a break for it breaking past their wounder flaming comrades and rushing the enemy. This time they got in range as their Gatling cannons spooled up before firing.

 _FIT! FIT FIT!_

The hillside exploded as shells impacted them sending up massive piles of snow and sleet as Branwen's went up in clouds of blood as the rounds tore them apart, as the enemy rained death to them.

"Hold together! Don't run and keep shooting! No matter what you do! _Don't! Stop! Shooting!"_  
Vernal orders as the rocket fire were redoubled at the enemy as a shootout took place

Now deep angry roars came out from the approaching APC's as their Gattling cannons spooled up firing onto the bandits as they traded cannon fire for rockets with the enemy as they gunned down over a quarter of the tribe before finally being put to a fiery end as they final rocket was fired and the last of the enemy armor was crushed.

"We won!"

Jaune yelled punchin his fist as Vernal grimaced.

"Not yet look."  
She said pointing to the back of the columns grind slowly over the fields a monster was approaching. There was a tank, long and massive as it rolled up the hill.

Over thirty feet long and half as wide, with a cannon that street its enter leaning that wimp grinned over the destiny APC's like they where nothing as its tread crush them.

Three more leviathans followed it as Jaune gulped.

"Vernal... What do we do?"  
He asked the girl as she put down her rocket and sighed. "It's time for us to go Jaune. Let's see if Monty favors us this day."  
She said picking up what looked like a string of Oum's mas decoration lights as she grimaced.

* * *

This was suicide! Jaune thought as he and Vernal along with several other tribesmen sprinted forward. The Tigers were coming and with them the end of the fight.

The tread-there could not break their armor at that range, so it was up to Vernal Jaune and a hand full of other bandits to make a miracle happen.

The plan was simple. Vernal had equipped them with something she called _joy poppers._ In essence, they were an anti-tank trap that you had to be _very_ close to using. To use one, you simply laid it out entirely in front of a tanks tracks and hopefully it would run them over.

When it did the _joy poppers_ , magnetic locks would engage and wrap themselves around the tanks treads before detonating themselves and immobilizing the tank making it impossible for it to move or follow them.

The plan was simple, but it was risky. They had to leave the relative cover of the tree line to make it work exposing them entirely to the Tigers filed of fire making them sitting ducks. Luckily for them, the sheer amount of smoke and soot from the annihilated APC's acted as an effective smokescreen for them as they ran forward. The air was cold and bitter. And every breath felt like you were inhaling a lung full of needles in your chest.

As Jaune grimaced through the pain as he approached the rung convoy.

"Spread out! One team per Tiger! Take them down!"  
She ordered as the men and women sprinted out.

Jaune bit his tongue as the smell of cooking flesh, and decay filled his nostrils.

 _Don't think about it._

He thought as he saw the horrible wrecks of the APC's along with the horribly twisted _cooking_ bodies of their crew.

They are the _bad guys_ Jaune. You are doing the _right_ thing.

He told himself as he and Vernal saw their first target.

The lead _Tiger._ It was massive. The things were over thirty feet long and over ten high. It's the main gun traversed the entirety of the thing's hull and stuck outward menacingly.

As a small machine gun swiveled left and right as Jaune glared at it.

 _"Watch me."_

Vernal said as she took out her long jagged line of joy poppers as she stalked forward. The tank came on unopposed. Its dominance over the battlefield was unquestionable as it crunched the broken bodies of its comrade as Vernal moved.

She crept and stalked forward going from wreck to wreck. Taking her time as she got in front of the Leviathan. As she laid out a perfect line in front of it as the Leviathan came forward.

Forward Jaune watched with baited breath as it ran over the _Joy popper_. He saw as its magnetic lack wrapped around the tanks tread latching themselves on before-  
 _BANG!_

There was a blinding flash of light as the tracks glowed white as fully _half_ of them melted off.

As the tank ground to a halt Vernal was already moving. Already she was on top of the tank, where she pried open the hatch with her strange discs before tossing some type of grenade into it as she leaped off it lands on the snow as a dul _l whump!_

Was heard from, within the tank's interior as its machine gun dipped and went still as she did three more white flashes filled the air as the assault team teams attack as there where the more whumps!

And one _BANG!_

As one tank exploded into a massive fireball as Vernal sighed.

 _"Amateurs._ But who can blame them? Killing these _rich snobs_ always feels good in the end."

She said as Jaune cocked his head.

 _"Rich snobs_ what do you mean?"

Jaune asked the woman he now respected with all his life. He fought with her saw her lead and was content just impressed at how well she handled herself leading the bandits as she blinked at Jaune.

"Who do you _think_ I mean Jaune? We just got through trouncing on the mightiest and most advanced militaries one he planet! I think a celebration is in order! What does everyone else think?"

She asked as the tank busting forces gather around Jaune felt something wrong. A ting sensation in his skin told him something terrible had just occurred and he was bear witness to it take place.

 _Most technologically advanced military on the planed?_ Why the hell would she say that? What bandit clan had _that_ strong of a military?

Jaune thought as he looked around him. The bandits had regrouped around Vernal and they were all laughing and cheering their victory calling her name as if she was their personal savior as she checked Jaune over to her.

"Come Arc! When we feast tonight, you will sit with me! No other place for our honored guest who spilled such blood with us will do!"  
She said laughing openly for the first time since Jaune met her as the growing sense of wrongness filled him.

Something was wrong terribly horribly wrong with the world, and he needed to find out what it was! As he looked around, he saw that the other side of the hill was in much similar to a state.

As a mass of destroyed vehicles APC's and _Tigers_ filled the hillside as Jaune saw the mass of destroyed metal glowing in the distance something was _wrong!_

Jaune thought as his mind began to piece together the puzzle. They where helping bandits fight off a superior foe. The bandits where most likely criminals of some type and that was fine! Jaune assumed they were fighting other criminals and drew no issue with killing the _bad guys._

But as he looked around at the charred wrecks burning twisted bodies and wrecks it was wrong! Bandits don't have tanks! They don't have APC's and if so not in this number! Jaune had been overlooking this fact before but now?

No this was wrong! Very very _wrong_! As he looked around past the metal, past the flames and cooking flesh, there was some glaringly wrong here but he as missing it! Is was so subtle but so obvious as Vernal called to him.

"Jaune come on! We might still be able to pull from these rich fools coffers! They don't have their _precious dust_ to save them now!"

Vernal said as Jaune saw what he was looking for.  
There on the body of a dead APC crewman. The first one he had shot was half of a body. As an arm attached to a headless torso spilled out. Spilling bright red blood onto the snow.

He saw it...

He saw the familiar white and blue emblem on his shoulder, the thin red lines of rank on him followed by a name.

" _James Hart. Gunner first class. Atlas Third armored division. **Bandit stalkers."**_

Jaune said aloud as his breathing hitched.  
He ha not been killing bandit nor white fang. Jaune had been killing soldiers. _Atlas soldiers_... Jaune had been killing the _good guys..._

* * *

 ** _: AN DONE! I have not slept in twenty-three hours time for bed! Until next time! Game on is next! SHoter Omake because of I. Am. D._**

* * *

 **Hero of Remnant. Parts Six. Bad times at the bloody midnight.**

"Ren come on. It's not going to kill you wear a tux _ok?"_

Jaune asked his second in command as he adjusted his chain sword. Both he and Ren where off to a ball of all things and Ren was less than pleased.

Whether it was due to having to wear anything other than standard guard gear of the fact that Jaune had suggested, AKA _ordered_ Ren to take the Falka girl as his date who knew?

Jaune was officially going with Ruby. The young woman refusing to leave his side after sparing the lives of her soldiers even it was in a penal legion for now. As the and Ren both approached the Gala entrance.

"Sir... Are you sure about this? Where are out dates?"

"They'll be here later. I told them to come later."

"But why?"

"So we can scope out the scene. Ren, I don't like these things and the wors branch of white fang are her. The followers of the light always use these places to usurp Monty's light so stay sharp.

Jaune said as the mention of Mony burned all doubt from Ren as the two opened the door into the dance.

It was a fancy thing. Men woman, human faunus dancing in all manner of extravagant and pointless outfits. As Jaune walked he froze as _the_ most beautiful woman in all his life played on stage. She was a tall redhead with piercing early eyes that payle a harp as Jaune stared.

Who the hell are you? Jaune thought as he looked at the redhead who he had a sneaking suspicion was stain _directly_ at him as he went to the bar.

"One whiskey. _Straight."_

He ordered as the fauns bar hand a cat man nodded.

"As you say, sir."

He said as he fixed Jaune a drink that he downed in one shot before ordering another.

As he realized he had to calm down. The regiment was fine, the troops loved him for _some_ inexplicable reason and-  
"Is this seat taken?"

A beautiful melodic voice asked as the drop-dead gorgeous redhead from the stage walked forward. As she did the bar hand gasped dropped his whiskey bottle the ground and _ran_ away. As the woman smiled as Jaune frowned.

"Now that was unusual. It's like he's scared of you." Jaune said with a girn knowing that _he_ was the only one to be feared at the bar.

As the red ea looked at him with a confused smile on her beautiful face and if Jaune was, to be honest _terrifying_ smile as he felt the unusual urge to _shoot_ her in the face. As a voice in the back of his head told him it would save him an innumerable amount of hardships in the future. As she gave the most beautiful smile to him

"I am _Pyrrha Vale Nikos._ It is a pleasure to meet you _commissar Arc._ I have heard so much about you but you already know me." She said in a melodic voice as Jaune looked her up and down and frowned.

"Ummm forgive me, Miss _Nikos?_ Was it? I have no idea who you are."

He said as the woman's jaw dropped as she looked like he had just said Mony had risen from the throne.

"Commissar... Surely you jest...

"Nope. I have _no_ idea who you are. And _believe_ me. I would remember a pretty face."

He said smoothly as her smile became downright _distrubing_ as Jaunes' inner voice said. Told you so...


	24. Pillar one Home comming

**"AN: New day new chapter! Here we get some backstory on our favorite bird, Jaune has a mental break and we get out _first_ but not last major plot device! As always thanks for reading and enjoy...**

* * *

"We... we killed the _good guys."_

Jaune said quietly as he stood in the thick snow as the flickering firelight filled his vision as he stared at the broken cupola of the now clearly identified as an Atlas fast attack all-terrain vehicle. As he looked down at the headless torso of the _Bandit stalkers,_ Jaune froze.

His tongue tied itself in knots, and his throat went dry as the dessert. As he stared at the flickering fire, his heartbeat became erratic and jagged. his mouth was dry dried than it had ever been as he felt his world collapsing.

I'm a murder; I'm a _murderer_! Jaune thought as the body bleed bright crimson blood onto the snow. Dying it red and making an off-color pink to it as Jaune's heart froze. A cold sweat gripped his body as he stared at the man, or what was left of him. As he was missing over half of his body due to a rocket that Jaune had fired into him.

As the wreck slowly burned away fading off into the night the smell of cooking flesh enter he throat almost making him vomit. He placed a hand over his mouth in a desperate bid to contain the rising bile in his throat. That treated to spill out and cover the ground.

As the two gut-wrenching feeling entered, his gut, Jaune wanted to vomit. He killed! He killed the good guys! He thought as his eyes simply refused to leave the decimate corpse.

He took in every last detail of it. Form the exposed spinal cord half shorn off. The way the internal organs spilled out and fell onto the snow.

He remembers every burn make, every splash of blood on the pristine snow, as the awful scent of cooking meat as he fought to say on his knees. It was too much.

Jaune had killed before! He would never argue that, but that was different! He was killing the bad guys!

They were terrorist or criminals they deserved to die! He yelled as to himself as he shot back up panicking as he backed away from the burning wreck as a voice came from behind him.  
"Jaune? Are you ok?"

Vernal asked looking concern at the boy who she had just bloody herself with as Jaune panicked.

"Vernal! Vernal did you know!?'  
"Know what?"

"That we were fighting Atlas!"

"Ughh yeah. I know, we've been fighting them for years why no who could I _not_ know this?"

The woman asked her eye shining with curiosity as Jaune felt his panic leave his body, as he was momentarily empty before it was replaced with rage.

"Then why!?"

Jaune yelled at the woman who blinked owlishly at him.  
"Why what?"

"Why did we kill them!?"  
Jaune demanded as she kept blinking at him like he had grown a second head and was speaking a different language.

"Because they were trying to kill us? I thought that was obvious."

Vernal said simiivle as Jaune glare at her.

"Why were we killing the _good guys!"_

 _"Good guys?_ Why the hell are you calling them the good guys?"

"Because they are! They are the got, so they are good guys!"

"Why the hell do you think that government equals good?"  
Vernal asked as Jauenseetehd.

"Why is Atlas trying to kill you?"

Jaune asked voice barely above a whisper as Vernal grinned.

"Because we are the _bad guys,_ " Vernal said as Jaune glared at her...

* * *

"Come on you sons of bitches! You can't kill all of us you hear me! You can't kill every Branwen just try!"

 _Whoosh!_

Another rocket fired as Kage sighed.

He desperately wished he got Jaune's partner as the blonde idiot next to him one was for one, not his blonde idiot. And two had the loudest sharpest voice that he had ever heard. As he sighed.

"Can you _just_ shoot?"

Kage asked as his rocket crashed into the front of an APC sending it spiraling forward as its front armor crumpled like wet paper.

As it slid forward onto it's front kicking up a fountain of snow before its ammunition reserves cooked off as it turned into a second sun sending out a shower of shrapnel into the air as it broke apart.

"Good kill! You have an inner Branwen in you!"

The man now known as _blondie_ yelled as Kage made a mental note to never learn his name as he sighed.

Dropping backward as he went to reload his _tread-fether._ As he reloaded his rocket, the foxhole was filled with a long _whoosh!_

As blondie fired his rocket, it crashed straight into the side of a charging APC. Blowing it neatly in two as he sents the twin halves scattering a ball of fire as Kage nodded.

Despite being a loud mouth, the blonde idiot still knew how to shoot. Making Kage gain a little respect for him. Not a lot and nowhere _near_ enough for him to remember his name as he stood back onto the lip of foxhole.

Freshly loaded rocket in hand he thumbed the trigger allowing the holographic site to flicker green as he fired another round. As another loud _whoosh!_ Filled the air as angry red comet struck out into the side of an APC. Blowin it apart and sending it crashing into an evergrowing pile of burning wrecks.

The two despite radically different combat doctrines worked well enough together. As there was no more than a few seconds lapse before another rocket fired from their foxhole gain kills and keeping them safe.

Or _safe-ish._ As the APC's got into range, then harsh auto cannons began to spill as the began unloading weapons shell into the hillside shredding some defender. Turning them in red puffs of mist as the reached their foxhole kicking out great tuffs of snow as Kage grimaced.

"Come on you fuckers! You can strike half of us down and twice that many will be born!"  
Blondie yelled as Kage found himself desperately wishing that the guns would send a few shells his way.

Unfortunately, like _always_ , Kage got his wish. As a rain of bullets slammed into their foxhole. Making him throw himself to the ground praying that they missed their ammo reserves and did not shred them inot mist.

Kage did not want to di in a foxhole in the middle of the goddamn Atlas waste, well he didn't want to die at all, but he found something about dying in a foxhole like this particularly _insulting_ and distasteful. As he grimaced once throwing himself down covering his head as he hit the deck.

* * *

His world became a blur of wood ice and fire. As bullets larger than his head slammed into the encampment, shredding it to pieces but luckily missing him. And annihilation his surrounding, as he lifted his head and got to his feet only see blondie yelling at the armor

"It takes a helluva lot more than that to kill a Branwen!"

He yelled as Kage sighed.  
Of course, it does. Why are idiots so hard to kill? Kage thought before shrugging if they were that easy to put down, then I'd already been dead.

He thought as he went back to the cusp of the devastated foxhole picking up his launcher to fire at the approaching convoy.

Three minutes later the roadway leading to their foxhole was a clogged charred mess of broken, busted and burning wrecks and littered with the corpses of the dead aggressors as the bandits cheered.

As they did Kage saw a small but steadily growing column of smoke in the distance. A low but ever increasing whit cloud of snow was being kicked up, and it was getting closer and closer as he grimaced.

"The hell is that?"

He asked pointing t to the growing cloud of smoke as blondie pulled out apace of binocular and gasped.

"Tigers! _Joy poppers!_ Now!"

He yelled as he lept over the foxhole making Kage sight as he followed.

* * *

As the two of them plus eight more pairs of men and women entered the wreck clogged killing field to engage the enemy armor, Kage was impressed.

There was over there dozen total killed armor units. Ripped apart and torn asunder, lying in charred, broken, burning wreck fo twisted metal and broken glass.

Littered the snowy ground as he ran forward. The chilly winter air was irritant as he found him carrying a so-called _Joy popper._

It was a simple weapon really. It was designed to break an enemy armor maneuverability rendering them useless. It was used to be tossed in the open in front of a tanks tread for you so that you didn't need to. As he ran forward, the chill cold air filled his lung like a million tiny needle fill his mouth with ever huff of breath. Making him grimace as he felt the ground began to shake.

It was a slow, low thing at first before it became a rumble then a throaty growl of a massive beast as the sound of rumble snow was replaced by the awful sound of crunching metal.

As a giant made of steel and iron roared in front of him. Crushin it's smaller cousin to bits as Kage sighed.

"Why me? Why does everything that tries to kill me have to be so big?"

Kag asked before correcting himself. Well in hindsight it was beneficial that all the things that wanted to kill him were usually towering opponents. Bigger opponents meant they were by rule easier to hit and easier to _kill._

He reasoned as he tucked his head sprinting forward heedless of the anger.

He knows how to kill tanks. Vacuo trained her soldiers well, and he was one of the best.

The tiger model of the Atlesian main battle tanks was a good beast. Stong, sturdy and tough with the speed to match? It was near the perfect tank if not for one thing.

Kage thought as he slid forward deploying the Joy popper as he slid next to the tank under its radar as he grinned as he watched the tank run it over.

The tiger was never very good at fighting against infantry by itself. It needed support tanks surrounding it, or it needed to be covered by its own infantry or else?

Kage thought as he climbed up the back as the Tiger as it's right track blow off in a brilliant shower of gold sparks as he gripped a handhold and flung himself on it's back.

Things like _me_ happen.  
Kage thought as he used one handheld to fling onto ti's back. As he climbed the old state already below freezing as he climbed up, it's back as he raced to the commander's hatch.

"Sorry boys. Nothing personal."

kage said firing his pistol to its hatch snapping the thing open revealing a stunning pair of brown eyes of the tank's commander as Kage grinned.

 _"Evening."_  
Kage said as he pulled the trigger of his rocket as the man gasped. _WHUMP!_

As the rocket flew into the insides of the tank, Kage was flung back as an initial burst of fire tossed him off the tank slamming him inot the snow below. Before a titanic explosion came from its insides and ripped the tank clear in half.

Sheering it in two as the concussive blast tossed them both in entirely different directions as Kage grinned.  
"Ok. I don't need to show off. I could have done that much simpler."

Kage reasoned as he stood up on asking leg s as he looked up.

"Kage! You did it!"

Blonde yell shaking his fish to Kage before _VRRT!_

A Tiger under their by other band back up reversing over blond flatten him flat onto the ground like a pancake as Kage grinned.

"Ouch. That looked painful."

Kage thought as he sighed.  
Well, I better finish this. I got to get back to Jaune.

He thought as he loaded another rocket aiming it at the Tiger's vulnerable engine block as the holographic scope turned green.  
 _Whoosh!_

The rocket fired blowing into the engine block ripping it apart as the concussive force ripped into the tank as it killed the crew leaving the tank standing still and dead.

As Kage smiled he wondered why the damn Atlas military was-  
At the word, Atlas Kage froze. Atlas... They where fighting Atlas...

Jaune was fighting Atlas! This is not good! Kage thought as he slung his tread-fether over his shoulder as he began to sprint across the slush.

 _No! No! NO_! Kage thoughts he saw the disaster looming. Jaune was barely ok with killing terrorist! When he finds out, they were shooting the quote-unquote good guys. In his own opinion even if Atlas was far from good at the best of days.

That was irrelevant. To Jaune, there were just soldiers doing their jobs. They were innocent to him. And while Kage did sympathize with soldiers, he was one himself this was a battle. He needed to find out how his damned leader was taking them and stopping him from doing something incredibly, horrendous, impossibly _stupid._

* * *

"Did you know!?"

Jaune yelled slamming his fist on the meeting table as a wide-eyed Qrow Branwen blinked owlishly at him.

"Know _what?"_

 _"Atlas!_ Did you know that the people we were fighting, that we were killing! Were Atlas!?"

"Uhh yeah? They've been trying to kill us for the past few years so yeah I know who they are. Why don't you? I thought Ludo briefed you on that."

"No, he did not! If he did, I would never have done this!"

"Why?"

"Qrow! Those were people! _Good peopl_ e who we killed-

"Good people, who were hell-bent on coming in here and killing every last man woman an child that they found? Good people, that firebomb the villages of natives to make way for as they say _progress?"_

"Good people, who country uses borderline slave labor to make consumer goods that bend less than a half of the percent of their population while they impoverish and disenfranchise millions? T _hose_ good people?"

Qrow asked in decisively even voice as Jaune stuttered.

"I... That's not..!

"Jaune. Clam down. You did what you had to do. And now it's over. The killings were done and it's finished, for now. And tonight you go back to Bastion mission accomplished. What's the problem?"

"The problems! I.. I was told to become a hunter to protect people not to kill them!"

"You've killed before. I see it in your eyes. Why is this so different?"

"That was different!"  
"Different how?"

 _"They_ deserved it!"

"And _they_ did not?"

"No! They where the good g-

Jaube stopped as Qrow raised an eyebrow as he sighed.

"I... I don't; like this. I didn't like killing I-

"No. You don't care about killing. That's what you don't like about. Killing is irrelevant to you its the fact that you are not bothered in the slightest, and that's what bothers you."

Qrow said picking the boy apart in an instant as he sighed.

"You're' a natural born killer Jaune. And you just don't want to admit it.'

"That's not true! I'm _no_ killer!"

Jaune yelled as Qrow raised an eyebrow at him.

"Really? Are you not a killer? Could have fooled me. I mean Vernal gave me a glowing report of what you did out there. You got at least a couple APC's with your tread-there. That's over twenty kills. You sound like a killer. If you ask me."

Qrow said takin his small teacup and drinking slightly as Jaune glared at him.

"I didn't want to kill them!"

"And? You don't want to do a lot of things that you do. It doesn't make you special it makes you a person. Now, what's the problem? You were told to help us out and you did. Mission accomplished right?"

"I never said that I would kill soldiers! These guys were just-

 _"Just following orders?_ Where you really going to come in here and tell me that they were jus _t following orders?_ Kid the worst massacres in our short history have come from people men and woman who were just _following orders."_

The man said finishing his drink as Jaune sighed.

"I... I can't do this Qrow. I'm not meant for this life."

Jaune admitted as Qrow coked his head.

 _"BS_. You were born for this. You were made to lead and to fight. You got the brain of a strategist, and the hear of a killer. I can tell."

"What makes you such an expert on the heart of a killer?"

"Kid you do not know me to let well, so let me level with you. I'm a killer. I know killers. I'm one. Your moody friend back there with the bolt pistols who's waiting for you to screw up so he can save your ass is one."

"My sister is one. Even if she's trying to deny it. Running behind a family to protect herself. And You are one. Your eyes are cold and sharp. You know what you are and that scares you. You don't want to admit that you are that. A killer, a murderer, a soldier."

"I'm no animal."

"I never said you where. I just said that you were a murderer. And that you need to accept that as soon as possible. The sooner you do, the better it will be for you."

The man said taking a drink and ending his tea with a satisfied gasp.

"Ahh. That's the good stuff. Kid take my advice. You can either accept what you are and learn to live with it. You can be like my sister and hide behind your friends and family. If you can see even call them that and dig your head in the sand."

"Or! You can be like your buddy in red and me. You can embrace it. Accept yourself for what you are and actually live for once in your damned life."

The man said as Jaune glared at him.

"Ludo tricked me. He told me that this was a diplomatically sensitive mission. I should have known he would lie. He's not like Ozpin-

"Ozpin! Are you really going to talk about Ozpin to me!?"

Qrow suddenly yelled slamming a fish on the table as he slammed his balled fist on the table cracking the wood as Jaune glared at him and Kage undid his holsters.

"Jaune. Let me let you in on a little secret. Ozpin is _not_ what he seems."

Qros said in a dark growling voice as Jaune felt his hairs stand up.

"What do you mean? He's just the headmaster-

"No! He's not just the headmaster of Beacon! You went to Beacon, but I'm guessing that you never really got to meet Oz one on one. Let me tell you this. Ozpin is not your friend. He has never been nor will he ever be. To him, you are not a person."

Qrow said darkly as Jaune held his red eyes in his blue ones.

"To Oz, you are less than human. And it's not just you! Everyone is less than human to him! To that thing, you are just another _chess piece_. A _pawn_ meant to be trained and kept while you are useful, and then to be sacrificed the moment when you overstep your bounds."

"Jaune Beacon is not a school for hunters. It's a farm for death. The school is a breeding ground for that thing to pick the best and brightest of Remnant take them indoctrinate them to his so-called caus and then to sacrifice them the moment he can."

"That's not true! Ozpin would _never_ lie to us!"

"It' _s all_ he does! All he does is lie and cheat! Jaune he will steal everything from you! Trust me! He does not give a damn about you or yours! He just wants to take, a take until there's _nothing_ left to take!"

"And even then! Even when you give everything. Even when you've sacrificed your friends, your family your very _home!_ When you give him everything even the clothes off your back do you know what he gives you?"

The man asked bowing his head hid in his eyes as Jaune gulped.

"No... what does he give you?"

"Not one damned thing. He takes and takes and gives _nothing_ back. He turns your friends against you. He makes them think you are the monster and not the literal! And I mean _literal!_ Immortal bodysnatcher that _subsumes_ the minds of young boys for Oum's sake!"  
The man yelled as Jaune coughed as Kage's eyes shot open in shock as they both eyed the man like he grew a second head.

"I mean I'm no saint! I've never said I was but goddammit! At least I don't take over the minds of children! My very existence does not guarantee the sacrifice of children!"

The man said as he finished his rant before sighing heavily.

"Jaune this is my last advice to you. You can not trust Ozpin. If you do, he will take everything from you. He will praise you for being Nobel. And selfless as he takes, and takes and gives nothing back."

"He will say you are doing this for the greater good, but he will never actually say what the greater good really is. Only that it's for the best. And the moment! The moment that you speak out!"

"The very moment you speak out for rationality and basic human dignity! He will toss you aside like a stray dog. Giving no thoughts to the years of service, the years of sacrifices and suffering you went through for him, and he will replace you without a second thought. To him, you are less than a person, you are nothing, and that will never change."

"And Ludo is somehow better?"

"Ludo... Ludo is _complicated._ Is he a creepy, manipulative bastard? Og Ou yes. Is he shifty and snake-like You bet your ass. But! He never lies. He may mislead, but he never outright lies."

"If you ask him a request he only speaks the truth. He will never say anything that is not true or what he believes to be the truth. He dose not hide things from those who follow him. He way looks to help people not just for himself but because he sees them as people not just damn chess pieces!"

"He sees us a living breathing human beings! Not like pawns on the board! And last Ludo remembers those who help him. Jaune. If you stay loyal to Ludo, I guarantee you that he will pay you back in kind."

"Ludo may be a lot of things, and most of them are not goo. But disloyal is never one. Help him, and his and he will do the same with you and yours. He won't' ever betray you, leave you for dead after you fianlly risked everything for him."

"He talks scared young girls into fighting for him. Lying sweetly to them about _the greater good_ to fill their head with notions of the maidens and fairy tales about saving the world. He won't take scared innocent children and turn them into monsters. That may have the face of those you loved but are so inhumanly different you want to scream."

The man said as Jaune gave him a firm glare as he sighed.

"You don't have to believe me now. You don't have to answer me now but just listen. You need to know that Ozpin never. Ever. Has your back. Not today, not tomorrow, not now and not ever."

"I know, I was Bacon, and I assume you want to go back see your team again. If you love them, don't let him get his hook in them. He will take them and not only will he kill them He will make you watch."

"I won't let him. My team is my family, both at Beacon and here. He won't touch Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Mika, Kage, Ruby-

"Ruby? Do... do you mean _Ruby Rose? "_

"Yeah. She's my partner and-

"Tah makes sense... I knew he didn't send a whole team for a reason...

"Do.. do you know Ruby?"

"Heh. Why would I not know my own niece who I trained myself."

Qrow asked as Jaune's jaw dropped before he yawned deeply.

"Enough talk! I'm tired and sober. Lets deal! We got celebrating to do!"

Qrow said as Jaune coughed.

* * *

"To _victory!"_

"To _victory!"_

The Branwen's echoed their leaders cheer as the tribe assumed in a massive tent. That was dropped up after the defeat of the bandit hunters. The entire tribe was packed inside as all members young and old sat around small tables as meat, bread, and mead was brought to them in great quantities.

Jaune and Kage had the honor of sitting at the front of the tribe with Qrow himself. With Qrow in the head, Jaune on his right. Vernal next to him. The bone man Kage went with on his left. And Kage on his right.

Kage had been gawking at the blonde like he had seen a host and Jaune got him doing repeated prayers ever since he came back.  
Strange. Jaune thought as he took a bite out of his meat.

Instanyl his eyes shot wide and his mouth dropped open. As he bit deep in two the soft, succulent meat of his dinner. His eye water and moth hummed as he tasted the rich flavor of the flesh as he gulped it down greedily.

As he scarfed down the meal Jaune's delicious dinner was brought down with a dark shadow that hung over him like a noose.

Qrow's word hung over his neck like a blade as he bit inot his meat. The rich floor overpowered by the knowledge he was given. Less than a human...

Jaune thought as Qrow's words sank into his brain. Jaune had always been taught that Ozpin was kind and generous. He cared for every Beacon student like they were his own grandchildren.

But now? Not it looked like that was wrong. It was like his world was shifted ad turn upside down. Normally if anyone but! Qrow even if he had met him less than three hours ago had told him that he would have laughed them off like they were mad.

Ozpin was a good guy. He was his friend. He was a Beacon of hope for everyone! Right?

Jaune thought she took a sip of his mind. The liquid burned this throat and made his eye's bulge out as he fought not to gag. It tasted like he was drinking motor oil and had the texture of fiberglass.

As it burned down his esophagus, the tribesmen and woman all gave a cheer to life. As they drank and ate and design into a joyful celebration.

As the killing had finally finished Jaune felt _empty..._

He killed. He killed soldiers of Atlas. Men of a kingdom worn to protect the world. And in the end. No matter what he said. No matter how hard he raged and battled against it, Jaune saw the end.

He knew that no matter what he said or how hard he argued, Qrow was right. Jaune was not mad that he killed the soldiers.

He could care less that he killed men of a kingdom. He was a murderer. A killer. And in the end? In the end, he _didn'_ t care.

He lived. Kage lived. _Everythin_ g else was secondary. Even the soldiers. Jaune thought as he took another swig of his mean ignore the burning pain and shards of wet glass that entered him as he grimaced as bandits celebrated the win.

* * *

"You know you could beat yourself up all your damned life but it _won't_ make it any better right?"

Qrow asked as he stepped outside the celebration tent as Jaune sat alone in the snow.

The blonde boy was covered in a large puffy jacket and pants as he sat alone in the snowy dreamscape of the Atlas North.

"I didn't feel like celebrating."

Jaune said his breath was coming out in short puffy burst of white steam as Qrow nodded and stood by him.

"I know the felling kid. Trust me it gets better over time. If you let it that is. If you don't? Well, you are in for a world of hurt."

The band leader said stn next tot he boy, in the near total silence of the night. The low celebration of his people rang to form the ten as Jaune turned to him.

"Qrow. Why did you leave Ruby and Yang?"

Jaune asked bluntly his blue eyes glaring as Qrow sighed.

"Because I'm not good enough kid. They deserve better than me."

"Not good enough? Why do you say that?"

"Simple. I'm a bad luck charm kid. Everywhere I go people get hurt."

"You don't mean that. Do you?"

Jaune said flashing him a worried looks Qrow gave a low chuckle. His laugh sounded like scraping gravel as he laughed darkly.

"I mean literally. Kid. My semblance is bad luck. Everyone around me suffers eventually. I can't do that to my family."

"But you lead the tribe in war?"

"The tribe is a group of soldiers. they can fight for themselves."

"Ruby and Yang are not weak-

"They are kids. They're not meant for fighting."

"Something you want to ask? Go ahead I got nothing better to do."

Qrow said leaning against the open tent cover as Jaune sighed.

"What happened to make you hate Ozpin so much? What did he do?'

Jaune asked as Qrow paused to take a deep breath before.

"He had me kill someone."

"... Who?"

"A kid. No older than you."

"What!? Why?"

"Why else? For the _greater good_ of course. He never justified his actions. Not then not now. Stupid me was dumb enough to believe him. I thought I was doing it for the greater good and when I blew that bullhead up, I saw the truth."

"And that was?"

"The kid I was going to kill was no ordinary kid. Jaune she was a _silencer."_

"What?"

"Jaune there are things in this world called _maidens_. Similar to Ozpin in their immortality but not as body snatching. If you kill a maiden, they become reborn in another woman. Unless they are killed by a _silencer_ that is. If a silencer kills a maiden well, let's just say things get a bit problematic."

Qrow asked as Jauen frowned. Maidens? What the hell is he talking about?

"What's so special about a silencer?"

"According to Ozpin, they are some kind of _psychic vampires_! Literally. Don't give me that look."

" _Psychic vampires?_ Really?"

"Trust me! I know that it sounds ridiculous but hear me out. Ozpin said that these silencers had the unique ability that if they killed something like him or a maiden."

"Instead the _soul,_ if you will, will be transferred the silencer's mind where it would eat it. And the silencer would also absorb the power using it until their death when the power along with them would die. For good."

Qrow said as Jaune frowned.

"I don't see why Ozpin wanted to kill just a random silencer? It's not like she was trying to kill him was she?"

"Not _directly_ but she was related to someone working for Ozpins _arch enemy_ if you will."

"Archenemy?"  
"Let's just say that her older brother was is! Working for somebody who is pretty _Grimm_. And he has not taken his sibling's death well not at all, and if his employer found a silencer? It would be bad for Ozpin. B. A. D. Bad"

"Jaune. These things could kill Oz. They could put down a maiden! For good! They could save the world! That's why Ludo is collecting them! He's got to stop this! No more maidens! No more Ozpin! No more-

"Qrow! what the hell is a maiden?"

Jaune asked as Qrow grimace before giving his low gravely chuckle.d

"Jaune. I'm about to blog your mind a maiden-

Qrow began before Jauen caught a more glam of movement in his visions as he screamed.

 _"Look out!"_

Jaune cried skin our she same stack the Beowulf in its that as the Grimm bore him down. The most did see later spilling hot blood on Jaune before an avalanche of howls and snapping jaws entered his ear as a tidal wave of white and red slammed into the camp as the world descended into chaos.

* * *

Death. Death had found the camp as Jaune killed the six snowy Beowulf in a row. Corcea Mor's bit deep into its next slicing it half way off as Jaune stabbed its eye killing it in one strike.

"Kage! Qrow! Vernal!?"

Jaune yelled as he raised his shield blocking another attack as he looked around him. All around him was chaos anarchy an death.

It looked like the battle of the pass had attracted a horde of Grimma and caught the time pants down.

Now that Jaune thought about it he should not have been surprised. All that killing all that death? It was a breeding ground for the Grimm. As he lee hs see Beowulf stabbing it clean through the heart he looked up.

Blood filled the air as Grimm tore people in two, men woman and children met grisly blood stained ends as Grimm ripped them apart only to jerk and stutter, as they were stabbed or shot to pieces by retaliating tribesmen.

The world was a terrifying whirlpool of blur of chaos blood and body parts. As Jaune fought his way through the bloodstained slow, trudging past the dying humans and sheer anarchy of the bedlam before he saw it.

Jaune never had time to react as the Ursa charged.

The monster came from nowhere covered in pure white, as it raised a mighty claw and struck down catching Jaune off guard and bore him to the ground in one swoop.

Jaune _cried_. It was the only thing he could do. The claw form the thing ripped his arm apart like it was made of paper. And tore open his chest gut and thighs.

An explosion of hot red blood shot out to the surface as his intestines spilled out on his pant.

 _"It hurts!"_

Jaune cried as he hit the ground. Hot agony flashed through his face as his vision swirled and twisted as he felt his weapons hit the ground.

The Grimm roared n triumph as it bound over to the downed human as it leaped at him ready to crush him in one-

"Back off!"

A voice yelled as a cannon round blew the Grimm's head apart in a shower of offal as Qrow came from behind him firing three more times into the hoard before gripping Jaune's shoulder and dragging him away.

 _"Jaune! Jaune! It' going to be okay! Stick with me! Jaune!"_

Qrow yelled dragging Jaune through the bloody snow. Firing his cannon into the horde as Jaune's eye fluttered and went still as the world went black.

* * *

When Jaune next awoke he was on a cold metal floor with the sound of flowing air in his ears. As his eyes opened to a bland metal ceiling as he saw that he was in a bullhead with the Bastion fist on it. As he looked to his left, he was in medical cot his stomach static up and a variety of wires attached to beeping machines on him.

"So you're awake. Good. I don't know what I would have to tell Ruby if you died."

Kage asked as he sat next to Jaune on a bullhead seat. As he pulled out a pack of cigarets and handed one to him.

"Smoke?"

"Sure."

Jaune said not caring that his gust felt like they were filled with fiberglass. Or his chest was on fire. He needed a distraction for the agony in his gut and a cigarette would have to do.

As the tow took the cigarette Kage light them with a match as both teens let out a long breath.

"What happened back there?"

Jaune asked as Kage grimaced.

"Grimm attack."

"I know that. What happened after I blacked out?"

"We killed the Grimm and out evac came. Doc's patched you up, and now we are going home."

"What happen tot he tribe?"

"A quarter died. Vernal and Qrow lived. "

"How many total?"

"No idea. Dozens easily."

"Kage... I don't know if I can do this."

"Do what?"

"This! These missions this do or die this killing. I don't like this life."

"Neither do I. You think I want to be in Bastion? Please. I want out just as much you do but I'm stuck till I graduate. You get to lave in amount and a quarter. Be happy about that."

"I...

"Stop. I know what you want o say but don't. You can't quit. You blink me have people that give two shits waiting for you. Like that girlfriend of yours. What's her name again? Pyr?"

"Pyrrha. She's my partner. I'd do anything for her. Or my team."

"Tell me about them. Honest not like with Zach. Tell me about your team. Your old team."

"Well. I had Pyrrha. She was my partner and my world. She was the _first_ to believe in me. The only person in my entire life not to think I was worth nothing. Even my parents think I'm a failure."

"They sound _great."_

"They love me. But...

"They think you are weak?'

 _"Exactly."_

"And you went to Beacon to be strong. To prove them wrong?"

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Yes and no. Yes in the way that you don't keep secrets. And no as I was mainly guessing but hey. You proved them wrong. You are a leader twice. You've kill Grimm thrice you size by yourself."

"You've killed more men then you have fingers and fell out a plane in a war zone and lived. You are strong."

"Thanks...

"Don't mention it. Really don't. Now about the rest of your team."

"There was my brother in all but blood Ren. He was quiet. Not shy but just didn't have much to say. But when he did talk you listen. If you didn't you would regret it."

"Sounds like a smart guy. Was he the brain bin your team?"

"He's a genius. But no. The _smart_ member of team JNPR is Nora. His partner and genera _l agent of chaos,_ she was a bit different."

"Different? Like she likes to share with her left hand of Mika different?'

"Think Mika, but no skinning and you have a pretty good idea of her."

"Got it."

"They were my family to me. They trusted me. Believe in me. Followed me. They taught me to fight."

"I thought Ruby helped you fight?"

"She did! But later on. Much later on. If... If I can't see them again-

"You will. I'llmake sure of it. You are not dying as long as I'm alive. That's a promise."

Kage said as Jaune cocked his head.

"I never asked this but what is your story with Mika? How do you know her?"

Jauene asked Kage as a smile formed on his face.

"Before you ask _no._ We are not dating. And _yes_ we have had sex. To answer what she is to me? That is not a simple thing. I'll tell you that whole story one-day but for now? Lets put it like this. She will _never_ leave me, and I will protect her from _all_ harm. And you get the picture."

Kage said lean back in his seat as Jaune nodded once letting his eyes shut as he went to sleep...

* * *

" _Stupendous! Absolutely stupendous!_ Job well did both of you!"

Ludo said happily as Jaune grimaced. The boy's where gone less than a day as they returned back to Bastion late the next night to Ludo who was beaming.

"The Branwen page their official support of ous, and now thanks to you the world is a safer place job well done!"

The mas Jaune opened his mouth.

"Sir. May I ask a question?'

"Of course master Arc! And call me Ludo! We are friends are we not?"

"Sir. It's about that. Qrow said Ozpin was not my friend. But you are? Ludo. Are you my friend?"

"Mister Arc! I'm surprised t you! No, I am hurt! Of course, I am your friend! I am all my student's friends!"

The man said laughing loudly as Jaune sighed.

"Thank you, sir."

"But of course! You will sole be happy to know that the food you home form Arcadia has arrived and Bastion students are mostly happy and live form it!"

"Mostly?"

Kage asked as Ludo sighed.

"Yes mostly. There have been some reports of pudding have a higher than normal acidic content but besides that most students are happy and healthy."

"Don't eat the pudding. It's acid. Got it. Can we go to our room now sir?"

"But of course! And have a good night Mister Arc! I'm sure your team is simply _dying_ to see you again!"

Ludo said as Jaune grimaced.

* * *

"It was a figure of speech, calm down."

"I'll feel better when I see Ruby."

Jaune said as he unlocked the Bation room door. Open it hop to find Ruby, her fake eye waiting for him. Only to see Mika alone on her bed looking inot her own reflection on her ax belly down on her bed.

"~Boss man~! Kage! You're back!"

Mike said leaping up to he friend. With a wide smile as he silver hair flew up.

"Hey, Mika. Were is Ruby? I don't see her around here."

"Oh! She's on a mission!"

Mika said happily as Jaune and Kage both froze in place as their mouths dropped open.

"Mission? What do you mean a mission!?'

" I mean she on a death kops mission!"

" You let her go alone!?

"What? No! I ordered not to go with her! Don't worry she did not go alone she has a partner!"

Mika said as Jaune' mouth dropped.

"Who?"

"She's on a mission to the badlands with _Zach!"_

* * *

"See Red? What did I tell you? This is going to be _hideous..._

* * *

 ** _AN:_ Well there we go! Another day another new chapter! This time the boy's come back in one piece more or less. Qrow's on Ludo's side Ozpin has a past and we have a new key element tot he story. The _Silencers!_ Who will be critical to the tale! Otherwise, the next Arc is about the two _least_ compatible Bastion students braving the dead lands so nill next time? I'm going to be working on _Game on_ otherwise? Omake.**

* * *

 **Heroe of Remnant part seven _Inquisitor Nikkos_. Or why I like _redheads._**

"Miss Nikkos? A pleasure."

Jaune said taking the drop-dead gorgeous red head's hand in his kissing its top as she giggled.

"My your reputation for flattery proceeds you, commissar. I must say that you quite handsome. The pic feeds simply do _not_ do you justice."

"Oh? You've heard of me? Does your bad play at military events often?"

Jaune asked as the woman's face dropped as she gave him an odd look.

"No Jaune. Or Ciaphis. I am not in a band."

"Then why where you playing in one?"

Jaune asked oblivious to the woman's shocked expression on her face.

"Jaune. Do you now know who-

"Sir! I've been looking all over for you!"

The sharp energetic voice of Ruby said as she ran into Jaune from behind the bar. Bumping shoulders with him as he nodded.

"Commander Rose. How are you this evening? Staying out of trouble no doubt."

"Sir yes, sir! I was just coming to look for you when-

Ruby paused as she saw Pyrrha and her jaw fell.

"Miss Nikkos!? Oh no!"

Ruby yelled befre bwoin her head.

"I'm sorry for my rudness please forgive me, mam!"

The girl said bowing to the _civillain_ as Jaune bloink owlishyl at her.

"Ruby why are you bowing to a civillain?"

Jaune asked as both woman's head shot up in suprise.

"Jaune! Sir! Do you _not_ know who this is?"

Ruby asked pointing to Pyrra who was smiling nervously.

"Of couse I do! She's the bar etertainer! What else she could be?"

"Jaune! She'a an inquisiot! The best on int he world!"

The girl clamime as Pyrrha sighed.

"She speaks the truth. I am Pyrrha Nikkos former hunter now world renowned espionage and-

"Sure. Sure. You are just another thief."

Jauen said as bot wona wey went red with panic as he sighed.

"Bar keep two more. Keep um comming."

Jaune said sight as the woman sat by his side. Face filled with aanger. This is going to be one helluva ride. Jaune said as he strapped hismelf in.

Luckly for Jaune fate intervened as the main doors opened as large faunus walked in.

"Present your lord govener _Peter Port!_ Along with embassadors from the fang terriroes of the follwers of the light!"

The man saidas Ruby glared.

"Dame savages."

"Calm down Ruby I fell you pain."

They said as Jaune sighed.

"Well this can't get anyworse right?"

Has asked thw owmanbefre the lght flicerd out.

"Hey!"  
"Who tunred off the-

 _BANG!_

A gun shot was har as Jaune had Corce mro out in a flash as the y came back on revealing on a headless body in the middle of the floor. As the now dead political figure laid dead on the floor Jaune sighed. Tonight was goin ot be a _long_ night.


	25. Pillar one Good bye, Ruby Tuesday

**AN: Here it is! The newly released and hotly awaited chapter of Bastion! If you've been read this Fic you know what to look forward to as the two least compatible people get sent on a mission to fight for their very lives! OH! And one more thing! Just in case you where wondering I do _not_ hate Ruby! My favorite RWBY characters are Ruby, Jaune, and Blake. In that order! I love the bastards! Unfortunately for them... I love _differently_ and you may not _want_ my affections. So here we go! Enjoy!**

* * *

There was a _whoosh!_ Of air as twin bullhead doors slid open as the Bastion bullhead swung open as twin figure jumped out out it.  
"What did I tell you Red? This is going to be _hideous."_ Zach said as he and Ruby leaped out of the Bullhead dorrs. Stepping out as the cold hard air of the dead lands hit them in the face.

It was like getting an icy backhand to their cheeks as the bullhead roared overhead as the familiar hellscape of the dead lands loomed overhead. It was the same as Ruby last saw it. Miles upon miles of _cold dead_ grey earth. With a dull overcast sky, looking down gloomily on a blasted hellscape of potted artillery craters. Foxholes and long neverending lines of trenches.

As the two hit the hard ground, Ruby grimaced as she bent her knees absorb the shock fo the fall, as her legs felt like they hit stell as the ground crashed into her. As soon as they hit the ground, there was a rain of _pit! pit! pit!_ Sounds fille her ears as Zach swore at the top of his lungs.

 _"Mortars!_ Get to cover!"

He yelled as he as Ruby began to sprint forward. Just as the next wave of student laned out of the bullhead as the initiation students spilled out, Zach and Ruby ran head first feet slimming hard against the dead ground the leaped into a line of trenches only three feet deep as the crashed into the walls.

As soon as they hit the cold dead part the first bullets began slamming into the trench line as the familiar Fit! Fit! Fit! Of bullets crashed into the trench as Ruby swore.

Instantly she popped her head up presses Crescent Rose against the trench line aiming _Crescent Rose_ as her eye plotted firing coordinates for her.

 **"Fire."**  
 _Bang!_

Ruby pulled the trigger as a head over half a mile away snapped back in a red puff of mist.

 **"Fire."**  
 _Bang!"_  
 **"Fire."**  
 _Bang!_  
 **"Fire."**  
 _Bang._

Ruby fired as soon as her eye told her too as she dropped Fang member after Fang member in perfect unison as Zach whopped.

"Damn good shooting _Red_! Ever for a broad, you got some aim!"

Zach said laughing racously as he placed his energy pistols against the trench line fire green radiant bolts into the advancing enemies on his left. As Ruby fired into the Fang as she placed bullet after bullet. Killing far off enemy after far off enemy there was a flash of silver in her scope. As her eye opened and-  
 _Bang!_

A weapon went off as a flash of silver shot out against the land as it crashed into the trench.

 _"Red?!"_

Zach yelled as a sniper round found Ruby's head. Striking, her clean on her head, tossing her off the trench mouth and slamming her against the forehead snapping her neck back and sending her slamming into the back of the trench as her neck nearly snapped as her world exploded into pain.

 _It hurts!_ Ruby thought as she saw white as the sniper's bullet smacked her into the _cold dead_ earth, that felt like she hit the hull of a bullhead as she saw her world spin.

 **"Aura at eighty percent."**  
Her eye said as a voice swore.  
"Goddammit! _Red! Red!_ You ok!?"  
Zach yelled crouching over her. His black eyes filled with worry as he took time to aim his pistols filling the air with bright green bolts of death as he fired over her.

 _"Red!_ Can you hear me!? _Red!"_  
"I'm fine! I'm fine."  
Ruby said stand up wearily as Zach swore.

"This is why I _didn't_ want to come on a mission with a woman! What use is an ally when she can't even keep her _bloody_ head down!?"

Zach yelled as he fires into the Fang as Ruby shot him a glare as she remembered why the hell she was in this damn hell hole again with Zach of all people as the voice of Ludo entered her head.

* * *

" _Ruby Rose. Please report to the office."_

The Bastion public announcement said in a monotone voice as a silver eye blinked owlishly.

"Me?" Ruby asked looking up from her bed as Mika smiled at her.

"looks like someone is in ~ _trouble~!"_

The girl teased as Ruby pouted.

"Hey! I didn't do anything!

Ruby complained as Mika giggled.

"Don't worry _friend_ Ruby! You are probably just going to get a mission update on Jaune or Kage! Ther's no way _you_ are in trouble!"

Mika said to reassure her friend as Ruby sighed. "Yeah, you have a point. I'll be back!"  
"Take care _friend!"_

Mika said as Ruby nodded her head stepping off from her bed as she walked up yawing grabbing _Crescent Rose_ checking it for ammo and left her room.

* * *

Ruby hated walking alone in Bastion. Even after over a month in the school she never felt completely comfortable in the school, it's massive stone hallways and massive corridors that seemed to spiral onward forever as Ruby made the journey down the disturbing empty halls, that always seemed to be deserted when it would always look the worse.

As she made the five-minute-long journey through the halls, up and down the spiraling stone staircases, and through the bone chill breeze that infected the halls she eventually found the headmasters office and pushed open the large wooden doors as she pulled them open to reveal Ludo, Miss Heil and-  
 _"Zach?"_  
"Hey there _Red!_ How's it going?"

The boy asked. Flashing her a calm smile as he stood in the office. He stood at rough six feet tall. With smooth black hair and pale skin. He wore a pair of jet black light combat armor that ran up and down his body with the word Major. Printed on a label on it as he cracked her a smile.

"Zach? Why are you in here?"

Ruby asked the rude boy who she did _not_ consider her friend. As he flashed her a wry smile.  
"Becuase there is a mission that requires both of your unique skills."

Ludo said the crackling fire that was always roaring behind him but yet produced no warmth for the office ever present as Ruby gulped.

"Mission? What do you mean?"  
She asked as the man's silver eyes flashed as he grinned.  
"You miss Rose are going to along with Zach go to the badlands together for a _nail_ in the coffin mission."

"The Badlands? Why would we be going back there, sir? I thought we destroyed the refinery."  
"Simple. I have good news! After the capture of the Kernel, we have successfully broken the Fang morale and power in the area! And there are only small remnants of the Fang there, and we can simply switch to mop up operations."

"Oh! And we _captured_ the refinery, Miss Rose. There is a difference." Ludo said as the boy snorted.

"The hell? How are there any of the fuckers left that aren't dead or worshiping the blonde wonder as the second coming of Oum himself? Bless his sacred name."

Zach said doing the signs of Oum over his chest as Ludo sighed.

'These are splinter groups. Separated from the main forces. Ther are all and isolated and today! We will be sending some nation student on their first missions! They need a good bloodying to their lives! And you two are going to be the thing lights to them!"

"That sounds god damned brilliant! We need to show some green shoe how to shoot? Do they at least know what part of the gun the bullet comes out of? I don't want them tripping over the damned weapons and blowing their damned brains out."

"Mister S-  
"Calm down Miss Heil. Zach. Our initiation students are better trained than most _professional_ military units. If not for their locked aura they would be on of in for the most elite fighting forces on the planet. They are more than capable of handling any type of threat that the world throws at them."

The man said as Zach grimaced. "Until they get _shot,_ that is. And they go down to _one_ bullet or talon or acidic spray! Then it all goes to hell in a handbasket and it's up to me to fix the damned messed. _Typical."_

He said as Ludo sighed as he rubbed his forehead with two palms as Ruby spoke.

"Umm headmaster?"

"Yes, Miss _Rose!_ What is it?"  
"Why us? Why are you sending us on this mission?"

She asked as the man flashed him that same icy grin. That made Ruby quake as an icy hand gripped her heart and made her gulp.  
 _"Simple!_ You two are some of the most _popular_ students on campus! You, Miss Rose, are the _beautiful Reaper_ of Bastion! Part of the strongest first-year team and one of the most prodigal fighters in the school! Who's fighting prowess is _only_ matched by her dashing beauty!"

The man said as Ruby blushed before he turned to Zach.  
"And you! Zach! One of the four _heroes_ of the Kernel! You are an icon to the Death Korps students! A living testament to the brilliant skill of the Death Korps has to offer and the sheer _tenacity_ of mankind!"

" _You're damn straight!"_

" _Together_ you two are like a shining light! A beacon of hope! If the initiation students are led by you, they are sure to have a kick in their pants!"

"Although do not worry Miss Rose. We have not been idle in the time since we took the refinery. We have our _diligent_ field engineers to the field and have already added miles of underground trenches to the area and! We can confirm that the enemy has _no_ heavy artillery and are limited to small arms only."

The man said as she sighed.

"Sure? I guess we can do that."  
"Not that you have a choice."  
Miss Heil growled as Ruby _eeped!_ As the man sighed. "Miss Heil. Do not scare them. Now! You two will leave post haste! The mission will take place soon, and the kids need their leaders, and you two are them!"

The man had said before sending them both off to the bullhead docks as the walked to their fate.

* * *

"I'm _fine!"_ Ruby said kicking back up to her feet as she slammed her gun back the tranch's mouth as Zach swore.

"You better be! Your blonde boyfriend and Kage would never forgive me if you got a scratch on you! And Hino would never let me hear the end of it!"

Zach yelled firing his pistols into a fleeting wave of terrorist gunning them down as the ran away from the now swarming students.

Initiation students leaped into the trench slamming down placing assault fire and weapons platforms on the trench line. In record time as the trench was soon a bustling hive of activity and human yelling.  
Ruby was impressed. It took them less than three minutes to set up several firing positions. Setting up tripod weapons mounts, fixing long barrel machine guns, rocket tubes, and even their own mortars as they began to return from on the faltering Fang units.

They were truly professional soldiers Ruby thought as she began firing on the Fang as the trench was filled with a cacophony of noise as the harsh yellow flashes of gunfire entered her ears and eyes. As the rough acrid scent of dust powder filled her nostrils as they began to fire on them.

As the guns fired the familiar _Pit! Pit!_ Of mortars filled the air as Zach yelled and cursed. _"Mortars!_ Take cover you lousy shits!"

He yelled as he forced Ruby and the student next to him's head down as the first of the mortar round impacted the earth. Shaking it as hor sharp rained down on the tench line as the harsh bangs!

Of mortar rounds rained down on them as Ruby grimaced being forced down by Zach the shredding of the mortar rounds stopped as they were followed by something far worse as Ruby heard the horrible shriek of artillery fire.

As the Fang started to shell them.  
"I thought they _didn't_ have any artillery!"

Ruby yelled as the first rounds hit the mouth of the trench. Coughing up mountains of dirt and clay as Zach yanked her up as she saw the tell tail some trails of smoke fill the air as he swore.

"So did _I!"_

He yelled as the first of the artillery rounds began to fall. As the world was filled with harsh yellow explosion and barks of flame.

 _"Tunnels!_ Back to the _tunnels!"_

"Tunnels?"

Ruby asked bewildered as Zach yanked her up as he pointed to his left.

 _"There!"_

Zach yelled point to what seems like a sunken hatch in the ground as the wave of students began the sprinting to it as Ruby sighed before-

 _bang!_

Ruby screamed as a mortar round exploded far to close to the line sending up a wall of shrapnel into her side. Making her cry out as burning shrapnel bit into her side twirling her twice as she cried.

 **"Aura at seventy percent."**

Her eyes said as Zach cursed.

"You _fucking fucks!_ Fight me like a man! Come on _Red_ we need to get the hell out of here!"

He yelled helping the limping Ruby forward as they limped along as the first thumps of artillery fire filled her ears popping them and making crimson fall down her face as the round hist near them cover ing them with a deluge of dirt and rock as the students ran forward.

"Don't worry _Red!_ We just got to make it a little more, and then we are right as rain! Trust you me! We just got to get-

 _Crack!_  
Ruby was on her back. Twin artillery shells slammed in front of them. Slamming her _and_ Zach to the ground with the power of a semi-truck. As the round pulped the students in front of them into a beautiful red mist as a wall of shrapnel slammed her to the ground.

"My _face!?"_

She yelled as a burning agony filled her mind as the shrapnel bored into her aura making her scream. "Aura at fifty percent and falling."

 _"Up!_ We need to go! Now! "  
Zach yelled as he and Ruby limped forward into the small blown open doors of the impromptu door. As they hobbled inside and into the bowels of the _dead_ land.

* * *

 _Cold_. It's cold was Ruby's first thought as she entered the claustrophobic hallway of the underground stairway. The stairs were carved out of the _cold dead_ earth and spun down in a square pattern that seemed to go on forever into the earth itself. As the students made their way down.

It was almost pitch black in the stairwell. As the only light source came form free hanging fluorescent bulbs that looked older than Ruby herself. As they shook and went out for seconds at a time, fluttering violently as more and more artillery fire struck them the area send waves of dirt tumbling down from the walls of _cold dead_ earth.

As the mass of humanity raced downward desperately trying to escape the hellish barrage of enemy guns, Ruby was just glad that the Bastion students had been able to reinforce the area. As the student had dug several miles of underground trenches in the area. And the fact that they could use some to escape the artillery fire was a godsend. As Ruby and Zach followed, the sea of humanity into the earth as they ran forward spiraling ever deeper into the _cold dead_ earth.

* * *

 **"Aura at thirty percent."**  
Her eye said as Zach looked over a blue holographic projection. As he and Ruby stood side by side in front of a makeshift table as over four dozen frightened eyes looked toward them.

"Ok listen up and listen _good!_ I'm only going to say this _once_ so pay attention! We are here! And they are here!"

He said sharply to the gathered initiation students. The ones that had actually _survived_ the initial attack shuffled around him as he pointed to a hastily set up table as he took out a cigar from _somewhere_ lighting it with a match as he puffed it heavily. Making Ruby wish she had a cigarette. A _Vacuo slim_ would set her mind at ease at the least. She thought as she sighed.

"In case you are either blind, deaf, or just plain retarded you have noticed that our intel on the enemy not having artillery supports was less than accurate. And that they indeed do have the big guns."

Zach said pointing to a small line of red circles on the map as he smoked his cigar.

"Sir! What are we going to do? They have artillery and we don't have any support, and we have to hold out until we secure the are!"

"Simple my _easily_ worried friend! We! Meaning me and Ruby are going to destroy the artillery for you while you lot get your own damned mortars up and running!"  
He said as Ruby cocked her head to him.

"We are going to do _what?"_

" _We, Red_ are going to destroy that damned artillery! They can't hit us in here, but we cant' leave in any significant numbers without gets turn into a fine mist either. So! As the enemy will utterly annihilate any major force we send through, this gives a window for a small elite force that can sneak along here!"

He said point to a part of the map where the hologram showed a tunnel leading to the surface, opped them out near the enemy gun line as he smiled.

"If we go _here!_ Me and you can sneak up on the artillery destroy it and _then!_ _Only_ when I give the signal will you lot start to hit them with our own mortars ok?"  
Zach asked as the initiations students nodded in affirmation as the plan was on.

* * *

Two hours...

It took Ruby and Zach a total of two cold, miserable hours to make _any_ progress along the front as the two crawled belly down to the enemy lines.

It had been slow going as even if the enemy was concentrating fire onto their bunker the emergency exit left that Shepperd them this close to the enemy line also left them in wide open. In a perfect kill box and had the two crawling belly down for the majority of it.

As they had died the backs of their armor and cloak the color of gunmetal grey and black. To match the cold dead earth that they knew they would more than likely di eon as they crawled.

"Zach. Why did you volunteer us for this?"

Ruby asked the boy as crawled being him.  
"What do you mean why _Red?_

"I mean this is a dangerous mission! Why risk your own life? No offense but you doesn't strike me as the self-sacrificing type."

"Ha! I'm _not_! Like you said this is a dangerous mission. Tha means its easy to fuck up. And I don't trust half the kids more than I can throw them! Nah red I'm not a hero! That's your boyfriend's job! Not mine, I keep my head down and my guns up."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!"

Ruby said her face turning a bright red as Zach chuckled.  
"Sure but you _want_ him to be. Right? You want some of the blonde knight action to your self! What is sleeping together not enough? You want the _full_ package?"

" _NO!_ I-

"What you _want_ is for him to plunge his _holy lance_ deep inside of. Stking you so deep that when he finally pulls out he can call his dick _Excalibur!"_

Zach asked as Ruby glared at him her face turning the shade of her cloak. Or well her cloak before the two-hour trek through the _cold dead_ earth had colored it grey and black as they pulled themselves forward.

"Remeber Red if you want a job done right you do it yourself. Don't let others do your work for you. It makes you look _weak_. And that is how you get killed!"  
Zach advised as the two slid forward on the _cold dead_ earth.

Another half an hour of sliding in total silence finally led the two to their destination as the found themselves staring at the three gun emplacements that where sheeling the crap out of them back in the tunnels.

Looking at them now Ruby was even more impressed that she was somehow in one piece after taking twin indirect hits from the cannons as her eye began not analyze them.

" **Smoot bore gun batteries. Eighty pounders."**

Her eye said as Zach spat as more _VATHUMS!_

Of shells firing filled the air as he glared there.

" _Red_ you know how to take down artillery?"

"Shoot them?'  
She asked as he groaned.

 _"Woman_. Well on the one hand _yes._ Shooting them is good but not with what we have. Your _fifty_ won't do jack shit to them, and my guns are meant to kill living things so no. We have to get _creative."_

Zach said reaching into his side and drawing out twin silver boxes.

"What are those?"

Ruby asked as he handed one to her.

"These _Red_ are what I like to call _thermite_ charges. It's a bit of nasty mix of lightning dust, and some old world tech but they work just fine."

Zach said as he held up a box to Ruby. She gripped the small silver package like it was a large pie box with a thin white string leading out from it's gently wrapped outsides.

"Rember this _Red._ When you get to a gun, make sure you place the charge _inside_ of the barrel and pull the string. That will activate the dust, and it will _eat_ the barrel from the inside out and for god sakes! _Close_ the chamber door after you put it in or it will just fall out!'

Zach said as Ruby took her thermite and nodded.

"I got it!"

"Good. Now let's kick some ass. I'm getting tired of getting shelled all the damned day. Zach said as Ruby nodded as they crept forward.

* * *

As the two crept behind the thunder of the guns made it, so there was really no need for them to sneak as the approached the enemy lines.

Hell, they could have probably started shooting them form range and been totally unnoticed! But this was a stealth op, and Zach was the _expert_ on stealth warfare. And he said silence until it was unavoidable.

As the two crept forward, they heard and well _felt_ the first-  
 _VATHUM!_  
Of the enemy guns, as the earth shook as the guns fired again. Nearly deafening the two as they split up. The enemy had three gun emplacements of heavy ordinance. And there was as skeleton guard perimeter of grunts that Zach ordered them to split up to deal with as stealthily as possible before attacking the guns themselves.

Zach nodded to her as he cursed under his breath as he crept up behind a lone guard gun out.

The man never saw his end coming as Zach stabbed him in the back of his right kneecap making him cry out, as he fell to the ground before he could even get a word of warning to his comrades Zach slammed a bayonet to his jugular ending him in a quick clean kill. Gently placing the body on the ground without a bit of noise as he went on.

On the opposite side, Ruby made her own attack though she was far from his level of stealth. On the journey here he was like a moving shadow. A crawling body of death that stalked across the earth leading her steadily. Calling for halts, crawls and occasionally sprints as they made their way forward.

As Ruby made her way forward approaching her own guard steadily waiting for her opportunity to strike, as her eye beeped in affirmation she dove forward and though her attack was just as deadly it was far _less_ stealthy.

As she approached him, she shot out _Crescent Rose._ The scythe part extended out taking the man out at the legs. Luckily for him, his aura guarded him against losing the limb right then and there.

Well, luck might be a strong word for him as instead of getting his leg sheared of he was brought back of Ruby where she took her scythe and slammed it into his chest.

Bypassing his aura and well his whole chest cavity to kill him in an instant as she gouged out a bowling ball sized hole in his chest cavity covering her with blood making her grimace once as she went to work.

She killed the next few men and _one_ woman similarly. Sneaking up behind them as quietly as possible though she wondered why the hell she was sneaking at all when the damn guns where so loud she couldn't even hear her own breath.

Either way, she would sneak up behind a guard lashing out _Crescent Rose_ chopping off a leg first to know them off balance, before dragging home backward and then impaling them when they fell. It was quick, brutal and efficient.

As soon she and Zach had killed all the guards around the guns perimeter a silent nod was passed between the two as with the guards silenced it was time to go in for the kill and silence the damned things.

As the two went to work Ruby hit first. She tore into the three-man crew like a hot knife through butter. The fang never had a chance to react as a whirlwind of rose petals slammed into them. Slicing and dicing them to pieces as Ruby painted the are with their blood.

In an instant, the other gun was silenced. As Zach fell on them like some type of apex predator. Falling on the slicing and slashing as he slit throat and stabbed heart ending them in less than four seconds.  
As the two eye met black met more alive, and they nodded as a silent agreement was shared between them.

As Ruby and Zach level their gun at the last screen and fired.

 _Bang!_

 _Fisht!_

Solid rounds and green bolts bit into the fang gunners. Tearing them apart in a sea of solid shots and burling lances as they fell to pieces as one the guns were finally silenced.

"Good job _Red!_ Now we just got to get the hell out of here!

Zach yelled as he ran up Ruby before-  
 _Pit! Pit! Pit!"_  
The sound of mortar fire came from their own trench line as he cursed at the top of his lungs.

 _"Fucking retards!_ I said wait till I gave the signal to start firing! Not while we are in the don damned kill box! What the hell are they thinking!?"  
He cursed as mortar rounds from their own trench line began raining down on them.

"Zach!? What do we do!?"

Ruby asked as Zach looked back to the incoming fire as he cursed.

"The door! Back to the door! Come on Red follow me!"

He yelled as the two began to sprint as a slowly creeping carpet of death began to encroach upon them.

* * *

 _Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Why me!?_ Why does all the shit happen to me!? What do I ever do to deserve this!? Sur I kill people, and sure I steal shit that doesn't belong to me. And hell! I even enjoy it! But come on! I'm not that bad! I've never raped anybody! I don't kill kids! I'm not like _Kage!_

I don't skin people alive and turn them into suites like that green-eyed psychopath! I'm a good guy! If there' any justice in this shitty world I will not die in the middle of the fucking dead lands with a damned _jailbait_ grim reaper wannabe with more metal than common sense a lolita complex and fetish for dismemberment! So _Please!_ Oum! _Help me!_

Zach begged to Oum to spare his wretched life as they ran away from their allies attack. Luckily for them, the kill box was much easier ground to cover when they were spring head on, but unluckily for him, Ruby was being... _Ruby._

Ruby _refused_ to leave him even after he ordered her to run ahead. Her superiors speed meant she would have a much better chance of getting out alive than him and that he was just holding her back.

Unfortunately, she was just like her boyfriend and Kage. Stubborn. Once one of those three got their head on an idea, they stuck to it with a single-minded determination that would make a Grimm balk.

Now, normally that was not so bad. As while they were still out in the open and _completely_ expose their own fire was the still thing the mortar position away from them, and Zach was no slouch! He was sprinting as fast as he could.

And the life of a master thief made sure that was _damned_ fast. Not Ruby fast but faster than almost any other slouch as the dead lands freezing air filled his lungs with millions of tiny needles. It was looking good! The just had to keep up their pace for another two minutes and-

And Oum had a sense of _humor._  
 _Bang!_

Ruby cried out as a sniper round hit her legs as whatever fang fruit still alive noticed the two hunters running free and decided to open fire on them.  
 _PIt! Pit! Pit!_

The sound of mortar fire filled the air as shells rained down on them.

As the kills zone lived up to its name as Zach found his world filled with shrapnel flams and-

 _"AHH!"_

Ruby cried out as sniper shot took her on her left knee. Breaking through her aura shattering the bone, coating the ground with red blood taking her to her knees as she dropped her ridiculous gun scythe as she struggled to sand.

"Fuck me! _Red!_ Come-

Zach never finished his sentence as he watched in horror as a mortar round came down. Flying in a horrifyingly perfect almost insanely immaculate arc flying from the tip of the enemy position and landing with pinpoint are right between Ruby's _legs._

Her silver eye widened once as her metallic one recoiled in shock as her mouth opened in a gasp as the shell hit right between he legs and _exploded_. Zach gave one look of shock as Ruby Rose vanished in a wall of shrapnel, death, and _flames..._

* * *

 **An: There we go! Our two heroes are at the far end of the dead lands and one of them might have just gone out in a blaze of glory! So yeah! It looks like our favorite reaper is in a bad way! Mortar rounds are known to be less the optima for one's health! So is she ok? Did Ruby make it? Will she ever see her sister or team again!? And if she does will she still be _Ruby?_ Find out on the next Bastion! Until then? Omake. **

* * *

**_Hero of Remnant_ : Part Eight. The bloody ball.**

Jaune like the simple things in life. He liked reading in his bed while his command cap hung proudly on his nightstand. He like taking long drinks of Amasec that was preferably older than him and cost more than his yearly salary would _ever_ allow.

He liked sitting in his nice comftoarbel chair while Ren gave him tea while he read about battle reports from war zones that he would never have to set foot in let alone see again. But now? Now that simple life was gone as he watched the _enemy_ ambassador a faunus that until recently dressed in immaculate blue robes blown in two by a bolt pistol round as the room descended into chaos.

Instantly Jaune was in _commissar_ mode. As he began to eye his surroundings. First things first. He needed to restore order as soon as possible before any more deaths occurred. As already imperial nobles who had probably never drawn a gun in their lifetimes drew archaic bolt pistols and las pistols as Jaune swore.

He needed to get that singer Pye? What was her name? To safely as he turned to look for her only to find that she was gone. Vanished into thin air as a voice came into his ear.

 _"Commissar._ It seems like we have a problem here."

Ren said phlegamtiicaly as Jaune turned to see his aide dressed in his tux but las rifle drawn. Ren had been less than happy to leave his hell pistols back in the base but seeing as how a social event was less than likely to become a warzone Jaune ordered him to leave them behind. He now regretted that decision as he swore internally.

"Ren. We need to clam these people down. Now."

"I concur commissar. Shall I shoot the ceiling? Draw their attention?"

"And have them all fire at us? I don't think so. Watch."

Jaune said as he stalked out to the center of the pandemonium drawn Crocea Mors flipping the activation rune to green as a loud throaty growl filled the air.

 _VRRTT!_

The sound of gnashing teeth filled the air as the crowd for a moment stopped shouting and calling one another _traitors!_ Or _cowards!_ As Jaune stopped their bickering as all eyes turned to him.

"Quiet, please. It looks like we have a crime to look into and-

 _"Commissar_!"

Ruby said rushing forward her bright crimson dress draped over her as she huffed over to him as Jaune rose an eyebrow at her. Fixing her with his number _two_ glare. Making her _eep!_

"Commander Rose. You're _late."_

"Sir! Sorry, sir! It won't happen twice!"

She said with stell in her voice as he nodded.

"See to it that it does not. Now to our esteemed _guest."_

Jaune said turning to see a brown skinned faunus woman crying over the dead man waving a digi weapon as Jaune grimaced.

"Excuse me. Mam-

"Sirhenna! My name is Sirhenna Khan! And you filthy humans just killed my leader!"

" _Filthy!?'_

 _"Humans!?"  
_ "This _animal_ dare to talk to us like we are vermin!? How dare-

"Enough! This is now a crime scene under commissarial jurisdiction! All of you are to stay here while I conduct a thorough investigation! And of you attempting to leave before you are interviewed will be treated as an enemy to imperial authority and be subjected to _full_ commissarial jurisdiction!"

Jaune said stunning the crowd before going to the tiger and whispering into her ear.

"Sirhenna. Listen and listen good. This situation is bad enough as is. Calling the people here filthy is only going to get you _killed_. Now can you arrange transport for you out of the base?"

Jaune asked as the panicked woamns voice calmed as she did.

"Yes. Yes, I can. But I must take the body with me!"

"Fair. Call you transport and we can go."

Jaune said as she nodded.

* * *

 _"_ Sir. Why are we helping these ... _enthusiasts?"_

Ren asked as he guarded the rear of the four imperials and one Fang.

As Jaune, Ruby, Ren, and Falka made their way with the faunus is tow as they raced through the empty halls of the governor's palace as they broke out to the roof of the city as Jaune swore.

"That ride better have thrusters or we are in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

Jaune yelled as she grinned.

"Just you wait and see!"

She said as the dim night sky was lit up with the roar of antigrav engines as a yellow pod-like ship flew up towards them.

"Commissar! I must be going but I will remember your help! You are a true friend of the _greater good!_ "

Shireena said as she began to drag the body of her _leader?_ Or whatever the hell it was as Jaune was glad to have on fire stomped out no matter how temporary it would be and-

And as always, Oum had a sense of humor. As before, she could even get to her ship a rocket slammed into it. Sign it twirling into a ball of fire as it slammed into the side of the skyscraper of the palace as the sound of weapons fire filled the air as Jaune grimaced.

" _Commissar?_ What do we do?"

Ren asked as the sounds of shooting filled the air as Jaune grimaced.

"We do what we always do Ren. We save the day.'

Jaune said grimacing adjusting his hat as the sounds of all-out war began to form as bright plumes of smoke followed by the dull _Whump!_ Of explosions filled the sky.

"Very good sir. Another day in the guard sir?"

"Another day in his _glorious_ service Ren! Now come on! Oum wants us to die fighting and I _have a reputation_ to uphold."

Jaune said as he straightened out his cap and grimaced. All he wanted was a drink...


	26. Pillar one Cotton eye jill

**:AN Here we go! More Bastion more action! In this chapter, we get to see what happened to Ruby! Will she make it out ok? Will Jaune ever see her again? Will Zach ever show her the powerpoint!? Find out this time on Bastion!**

 **PS. If you thought I didn't like Ruby before...**

* * *

 _"Red!? Red!? Red!?'_

Zach yelled as he saw Ruby vanish in a ball of flames as the mortar round hit her between her legs making her disappear into a ball of fire.

 _"Ruby!_ "

Zach yelled once before the blast wave of the explosion bore him to the ground. Making him cry out as an invisible hand slammed him on his chest as his breath was forced from his lungs. As he crashed hard into the cold dead earth.

"Oum _dammit!"_

He swore at the top of his lungs. As he swung his legs up kicking himself up as the first harsh _pings!_ Of bullets found him nearly taking his head off his shoulders, making him curse as jumped forward as he hit the deck. Flopping onto his stomach as he began to crawl forward.

 _"Red!_ Can you hear me!? _Red!"_

The boy yelled as he shuffled forward as the fire finally died out, and he saw her and paused as his breath caught in his throat as his heart froze. Ruby was _dead._

She laid there on the _cold dead earth_ completely still on the ground, and she looked _terrible_. Her legs were a mangled, twisted mess of bone and shrapnel. The mortar round had exploded right _between_ her legs. Fusing them with shrapnel and shredding them apart.

Her leg jerk out in awkward, unnatural angles as shards of still glowing metal pierced through them as the jagged pieces of shrapnel held them together. Making her bottom half look like kind of gross macabre pretzel. As she laid there, her legs in a twisted tangle of metal and flesh her next greatest injury was her lower abdomen.

Several shards of shrapnel had flown straight up between her legs, straight into her guts and intestines, shredding them into ribbons if he could guess, and he could, as the girl and still in an ever-growing pool of blood as Ruby Rose was dead.

"Sorry _Red._ You might have been a broad, but you were a _better_ one. I'll tell the bone wonder you loved him K?"  
Zach said quietly under his breath as he began to turn and sprinting for the bunker. He needed to run now if he-

 _"AHHH! It hurts!"_

A feminine voice cried at the top of its lungs as Zach did a double take as he turned around to where the _formerly_ still and _very_ dead Ruby was now writhing in pain on the _cold dead earth._  
" _It hurts! It hurts! Dear Oum! Mika! Kage! Jaune! Jaune! Help me Jaune! It hurts!"_

Ruby cried out as she writhed and jerked in agony as bullets landed all around her as Zach swore.

"Why me?! Why me Oum? What did I ever do to you to deserve this? What did I do to deserve any of the shit you put me though!?"

He cried out as he began to panic. Ther was no way in hell he was going back for Ruby. She was a goner. Even if she regained consciousness, and B even if he did go back for her she would definitely die on the way back to the tunnels.

And worse! He would die with her! Making both the deaths pointless. No, it was better to go back alone, honor her sacrifice and memory with a completed mission and-

" _Zach! Zach,_ please help me!"

Ruby yelled as he one silver eye and red bionic one locked onto him as he swore.

 _FUCK!_ Why me!? The boy swore internally as his life just got harder. He knew for a fact! That Ruby was a goner; he knew that if he went back to help her, he would most likely die as well! Throwing away years of brutal pragmatism, desperate jobs and sheer death-defying acts of valor and greed in a moment of fatalism!?

He also knew that if for some reason. If by some thrice cut miracle, by some impossible, insanely narrow margins she beat the odds and live through some miraculous reason. He left her, and she somehow lived!? Now that she knew he saw her alive and left her? He was going to be in deep crap back home.

And even if she didn't live. When the blonde wonder or worse Kage asked what happened he couldn't just tell them hey guys! I let your teammate and partner bleed out on the ground! No way! He was going to have to lie to them. And while lying to Jaune was only _slightly_ harder than stealing candy from a blind, crippled two-year-old lying to Kage?

That was a bit harder. Kage knew him to well, for him to lie easily and Kage unlike Jaune had a rather _nasty_ habit of shooting people with those damn aura busting bolt pistols of his when they pissed him off. And lying to Kage was a _great_ way to piss him off.

Zach thought as Ruby's eyes locked on to him.  
"Zach! _Please!"_  
The girl yelled out as Zach sore as he prepared himself to do something insanely foolish.

"Oh fuck me!"

The boy yelled cursing about as he began his run for her.

"Hold on Red! I'm getting you out of here!"

He yelled to the dying girl as a fresh wave of bullets lashed out, as he slid to the girl. Dropping out his legs in a power slide grimacing as he felt the hard, unyielding _cold dead earth_ , crack under his pants. As he slid down next to the crying girl wasting no time in yanking her up by her hood as she proceeded to drag her away from the fire.

"It _hurts!"_

" _Quiet!_ Be glad I'm saving your sorry ass instead of leaving you to die ok!?"

He barked as out Ruby cried out.

"It hurts! It hurts so much! I wanna go home!"

She yelled as Zach swore.

"We all want things Red! We don't always get them now be quiet so that I can save your ass."

He yelled as he began dragging the girl across the ground. As the rain of fire and metal crashed down around them.

* * *

It was a nightmare. Every step he took exposed him to sniper fire, mortar rounds and about every other damned hazard known to mankind! And the fact that instead of sprinting like a madman with his ass getting chased by a pack of starving Beowulf, he was reduced to an awkward shuffling gait as he dragged the reaper only made things worse!

As the girl wailed and cried behind him, Zach had to violently remind himself that if he for some miracle of reason survived this hell hole. To smack himself silly for being so retarded!

Why the hell am I doing!? Risking my life for a _woman!?_ Of all things!? Have I lost my mind!? What is wrong with me and-

"You are _not_ helping!"

Zach yelled as he saw the shadow coming from behind him.

Instantly he dropped Ruby to the ground, making her cry out in pain. As he ducked the swinging sword as he stabbed out with his bayonet slicing the Fang members knee in two.

Making him cry in pain as he fell to the ground before he dug his blade out of his knee. Enjoying the fountain of blood and pained scream he gave before plunging it into his jugular. Making him gag and cough as he began to hack up blood before he ripped out the blade. With a loud gurgling sound. Covering him with a fountain of blood and-

"You can fuck off _too!"_

He yelled as he reversed his guns angel, dropping to his side and firing into the Fang member who was taking aim at him with a rifle. Hitting man three times in his chest with a series of emerald bolts. The man dropped like a sack of bricks as Zach panted.

"God damn _animals!_ Every last one of you can go straight to hell!"

Zach swore out loud firing blindly into the raging gunfire as Ruby cried.

"It hurts... _Jaune..._

The girl cried pathetically as her eyes welled up with tears. Making him grimace. She's never going to get that face back. Zach thought darkly as the girls freshly burnt bleeding face filled his vision. Even if by some miracle she did not bleed out her face was going to be horribly scared for the rest of her life.

"Don't worry Red; you'll see your boyfriend soon enough. I promise you _k?"_  
He promised the dying girl who he knew was not long for this world.

"Why do I have to be the god damned hero? Why can't I leave the dumb stuff to actual good guys? Like Kage or Jaune? Well, not Kage but still!"

He asked aloud as he ducked another whizzing bullet.

"Damn it!"

He swore as he reached back down and began to drag Ruby across the cold dead earth of the dead lands as the two made their way back to the bunker.

* * *

Ten minutes. That was the total time that it took Zach to drag the barely conscious bleeding out girl from her initial damaged site and back into the relative safety of the Bastion tunnels systems.

When he arrived back at the tunnels, panting gasping and feeling like he needed to curl up in a ball and die, the initiation students thought that their savior had returned only instead of a conquering hero, the looked to see a raging swearing and dragging a had dead body behind him.

As he swore out loud calling for help, they saw the furious anger in his mercurial black eyes as he barked at them

 _"Who!_? Which one of you deaf fuckers decide that shooting when I say so _instead,_ meant blowing me and my damned ally up whenever the hell you feel like it!?"

He yelled to the frightened initiation students huddled around the holograph command globe as he growled at them.

 _"Well!?_ Who ordered the attack!?"

Zach barked as one girl with amber hair and yellow eyes spoke yup.

 _"Ingrid_ did-

 _"Ingrid!_ Great! Ingrid get you ass down here so I can gut you my self and-

"Sir. Ingrid can't come to see you."

The yellow-eyed girl's aid as Zahv glared a there.

"And why the fuck _not?"_

"Because she's dead sir. She was shot-

"Of _fan fuckingtastic!_ There goes my one! And I mean _one_ shot at some god damned stress relief!"

Zach sower aging his teeth in frustration before the logical side of his brain took over.

Clam down. Assess your situation. Do not get emotional.

He thought to himself as he sighed.

"Fine. Ok! What's done is done. I don't like it but it's done! Now, what's the situation and pray to your gods that you have some good news for once!"

Zach yelled a boy spoke up.

"Sir! The Fang guns have stopped firing-

"No _shit Sherlock!_ It's almost like I blew them up!"

He yelled as the grey eye boy with black hair cowered.

"Anything else? Are there any other brilliant news that you incompetent fucks have for me today?"

"Sir! I just got word from Bastion proper!"  
A girl with green hair yelled as he bent over her _Vox._

 _"Oh?_ Finally! Some good news! Well, what did they say?"

"They said that our mission is complete and there will be transports to take us hon in an hour."

"Finally! Good news! Just for that, you all get to live! Now get out and get prepared! I want us ready to leave this hell hone in ten minutes! Do you hear me?"

 _"Sir yes, sir!_ "

The students yelled as he nodded.

"Your _god damned right."_

He said as she sighed heavily.

* * *

 _"A coma?"_

Zach asked as a bright pair of green eyes stared at him.

"Yes. I was able to stop the bleeding, and remove most of the metal, but not enough. As for now, she is in a medically induced coma that she will remain it."

The faunus medic said as she sat hunched over Ruby checking her pulse and looking over her IV as Zach glared at her.

"How bad is she? Don't' sugar coat it either. Tell me the truth."

Zach asked as the girl grimaced before sighing.  
 _"Honestly_ sir? I don't think she's going to make it."  
The fox girl said as she finished checking Ruby's IV grimacing as Zach ground his teeth.

"Dammit... I know this was bad."

He hissed as she nodded.

"Indeed it is. She lost far to much blood and while the coma is helping it is only a temporary measure. A very temporary measure. If we are to save her, we will need to get hare back to Bastion and give her not only surgery but I recommend we give her _extensive_ bionic enhancements and-

"Dot it."

"What?"

"I said _do it!_ Call into the damned teach adepts and have them ready the bionics!"

"Sir... This will _not_ be a case simple enhancements. We are not talking about a simple limb or an eye. She lost several major parts of her organic structure critical parts even."

"How critical is _critical?"_

Zach growled at the woman as she held his glare.

"Her lower intestines are mostly shredded, and her upper one is little better, both of her femurs are destroyed and will need to be almost fully replaced along with other damages this will be a highly invasive procedure, and the odds of success are-

 _"Do it."_

"Sir...

"I said call the order! I'll take responsibility but have the damned tech adepts are ready for her ok?"

He yelled as she sighed.

"As you say, sir. I will call the order under your name."

"Tell them the colonel ordered it. I'll take the fall."

"Yes, sir."

The medic said as Zach sighed heavily.

"Don't die on me Red. Not like this _k?"_

He asked das the girl breathed short, shallow breaths as he readied her for transport.

* * *

The loading process took less than a minute. On one part due to the initiation students being generally damned good at their jobs of organizing, loading and getting shit in a presentable order on little to no time.

And also do to everyone being scared shitless by the furious glare of the colonel as he dragged his injured friend on a stretcher. With the help of a fauns medic with fox ears and brown hair. They worked together as the medic made sure her IV was working right as they loaded her onto a medical ship and took her away. Leaving the dad moody overcast sky the hung oppressively over the _cold dead earth._

 _"Good riddance!"_

Zach hissed as the bullhead doors closed as they flew off.

"Come on Red. You know you want to make it right? I mean think about it! You go back home you live, and you get to do all the shit you like! I mean you can eat all the cookies you want! Or hang out with Mika and Hino!"

"I don't know why you like hanging out with them but hell, who am I to judge? You can go back to training with Kage! Make you some not terrible in a fist fight or! You can put in some work on that white knight of yours!"

"Hey! I see the looks you are giving him! I know he's' dense, but I can help out with that! Follow my advice, and he'll be moaning your name before you can say _down boy!"_

Zach said to the sleeping girl who was rapidly losing skin color as he sighed.

"You just got to live ok? You can't hand out if you're dead. Corpses can't gain muscle and they sure as hell can't fuck so live for me _k_? If not for me for you team Kage, Jaune Mika. And whoever the hell you left in Vale and-

"Is she your _girlfriend?"_

The fox faunus know as _Kirara_ asked Zach as she checked the girl's IV.

"What? Her? No way. I don't touch _unripe fruit._ Plus she's crushing on the blonde wonder kid."

"The _white knight?"_

"Yeah, that's him! Boys got a head denser than osmium I tell you! He's worse than Kage!"

Zach swore as the nurse checked up on Ruby.

"How is she? Will she-

"She will live until we arrive at Bastion. But after that? It all depends on the implants. If her body takes well to them, she _might_ live."

"And if they don't."

"Then she will reject them and most likely die from shock."

Kirara said as Zach sighed.

"She's probably going to die huh?"

"Most likely."

"There's nothing else we can do?"

 _"Nope."_

"Anything?"

"Have you tried _prayer?_ I've heard offering virgins to the _moon_ does wonder in time like these."

She asked flatly as Zach glared at her.

"You are a sarcastic fox you know that?"

"In my job you either laugh or you _cry_. And I _don't_ much like crying now, so I make the best of it."

She said as Zach nodded.

"I hear that. Just wish we didn't need to."

He said as she adjusted something on Ruby's IV, checking the girl's neck as she nodded.

"Same here. I wish we didn't have to die like this. _Cold alone, scared_ senseless-

"She isn't dead yet!"

 _"Yet._ You said it yourself. She is most likely as you said a goner. Now we can only wait. Or pray if you feel like it."

"Jeez! Why do all you faunus like prayer so much!? What has the _light_ ever done for you?'

"I am no follower of the light."

"Oh? What are you then a devotee of the brothers?"

"Yes."

"Fine! Different gods same thing! It's all the same!"

"That's not true."

Kirara said calmly as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh really? Tell me how they no, any! Is any religion really _that_ different from one another? It's just a bunch of people praying to a silent figure in the sky who never talks back asking for him to save them."

"The brothers do not ask for prayer."

"Oh? What do they way your virgins in the volcano? Or some blood ritual to appease the _thirsting laughing gods_ of the _dark_ millennium?"

Zach asked sarcastically as she smiled. It was clam soothing expression that calmed his heart as her pink lips cured up.

"No. Our gods only ask that we are kind to one another and treat all life with the dignity that we expect to be treated with. Besides that, there is no overarching rules or restrictions placed upon us."

"So your god's say what? Don't stab that guy with a knife and then you go out killing Fang members as it's all good?"

"No. They say treat others with the same dignity we want to be treated with. And if people want to shoot at us? Well if I were shooting at someone, I'd expect them to shoot back."

Kirara said calmy flashing him that same calming smile as her fangs came out as her emerald eyes held his dark one.

"I like you kid. You got some spirt on that head."

Zach said as she nodded.

"Thank you, sir. We are almost home now and-

The ring of a communicator rang out as Zach ripped out his command Vox as he swore

"Hello?"

Zach asked as a familiar voice came from the other line.

" _AH! Mister Colonel! How are you?"_

"Ludo? Sir!"

" _Sir? What's the occasion, Zach? Did something go horribly awry and you are buttering me up? As they say?"_

"What?! Sir no sir! I was just-

" _No need to be so stiff my boy! I know that you and miss Rose did a splendid job in your mission!"_

"Yes... All objectives were accomplished as requested sir."

 _"Excellent! Just so you know Mister Arc, and Mister Kage are very eager to see you two again! Especially Miss Rose! What is your estimated time of arrival?"_  
The man asked as the pilot flashed him a five sigh.

"Fifteen minutes!'

Zach lied as Kirara cocked her head at him.

 _"Splendid! I will inform Mist Arc and Mister Kage posthaste! Until then good work the both of you!"_

"Sir thank you, sir! It was a pleasure speaking with you and-

 _"Oh, one second! I nearly forgot! Silly me! Mister Arc is here, and he wants to speak to miss Rose! Please put her on the Vox for me, will you? He is very eager to check up on her and-_

"Sorry, sir! Ic nat' hear you! Repeat that!"

Zach said as he signaled the pilot to speed up. As he adjusted his vox making a harsh static break through the lines.

" _Colonel? Cna you hear me? Jaune want's to speak to Ruby and-_

"I Can't hear you, sir! your signal is weak I'm breaking up! There's comm static and-

" _Zach! Zach! Where is Ruby!? If he's hurt, I swear to Oum-_  
"Can't her you _blondie!_ You are breaking up!"

 _"Zach!'_

"Over and out!"

He yelled slamming his Vox down seat profusely before screaming "Fuck!" At the top of his lungs as Kirara blinked owlishly at him.

"Well, what now? Why did you lie and-

"Because I am about to something _very_ illegal and _incredibly_ foolish, that is more than likely going to get me killed. And I need your help."

"Is that an order sir?"

"You bet your ass it is now help me with here!"

Zach yelled as the bullhead touched down. As the two gripped the stretcher hosting the still body of Ruby up and out of the still landing craft leaping out of it before it even touched down as the great stone doors of Bastion awaited them.

* * *

" I hope this works."

Zach said darkly as he and Kirara began to spring.

Honestly, Zach needed to thank that person. Whoever the hell he was when Ach said burn, he turned full blast. As the pilot made the five-minute journey in less than two by Zach and Kirara precious minutes of time for thier _plan_ to work.

As Zach and the fauns girl sprinted into the still opening doors of Bastion, he swore out of at the time constraint he was already under. As he had bout himself ten extra minutes on board the ship and up to an hour extra buy brings threating or begging any number of his plethora of Bastion contacts as he bought himself time to complete his mission.

"We are cutting it close!"

He yelled as the two dragged the girl is as his scroll rang.

"Who the hell?! _Hello!?"_

 _"Zach? Where are you? Jaune and Kage want to see Ruby-_

 _"Partner!_ I love you I gotta go! _Bye!"_

He yelled hanging up one handed his partner balked at him over the scroll as they ran.

Over two minutes had passed since they entered the thankfully empty hallways of Beacon as they sprinted down the halls as they made thier way to the damn tech adepts.

"Did you make the call?"

Kirara asked from behind him her long amber hair swaying in the air as her green combat fatigues uniform was bundled up by her own hand into a makeshift tank top as he nodded.

"I did!"

"What did they say?"

"They said they are happy Ruby will be on the next path to shredding her weakness and embarrassing the machine!"

Zach yelled as the short, curt conversation he had with the adepts of Beacon's Mechanicus played back in his head.

Felicia in typical tech adept fashion had been worried about Ruby for less than a second before he requested the implants.

Then she was pleased as can be and eagerly awaiting their arrival. It was not every day that they got to do something like this. That they got to take an average student and litter rip out most of their flesh and put metal in its place, so it was going to be damned busy at the infirmary.

Well, not the infirmary, as the mechanics while it was the most widely used medical bay in Bastion it was not the school's official infirmary ward. That ward was somewhere else, and Zac while desperate, but he was nowhere near desperate enough to try that hell hole out.

As the two sprinted the finally reached the infirmary doors and kid up the door where the brown-haired acolyte of the priesthood awaited them.

* * *

"Finally! Excellent you have arrived! Put the patient on the table and come with me! You have forms to fill out as her commanding officer! As we cannot normally do this type of a procedure without her consent and-

"Just do it! I'll sign anything you want just save her!"

Zach yelled as Fleica grinned.

"But of course."

She said pulling out a wad of paperwork as Zach began to sing.

It took him five minutes, but he did it. He signed every line, dotted every I and crossed every T. After that was all well, and good Felica nodded to him. Sending him and Kirar off scampering as she brought Ruby in for surgery.

The pale girl was nearly at death's door as Felicia nodded once. Taking the now signed papers with her as she called out several orders as she began to push Ruby though a pair of surgical doors.

 _"Save her!"_  
Zach yelled as she nodded.

"As the _Omnissiah wills."_  
She said evenly as she took Ruby to the back so she could be _saved._

"What now?"

Kirara asked as Zach sighed.

"Now we wait."

"And _pray?"_

She asked smirking at him as he let out a rough laugh from his mouth.

" Thought the brothers did not accept prayers?"

"They' don't ask but doing a little extra never hurt now did it?"

"No, it did not."

He replied dryly as she bowed her head.

"Let us pray."

"Sure. Let's do that."

He said as she took his hand in her as bowed.

"We ask of the brothers...

* * *

Over an hour later and well after Kirara had gone as Zach sat outside the door of the operation room, while the light of the operation or flickered as the doors blew open as a tired Felicia came out. Ina surgical be covered n blood, oil, and variety of other fluids that he dared not think about. As she stepped out sigh heavily.  
"It is done! She is-

" _Alive?_! Is she _alive!?_ Please, doc tell me-

"I'm sorry Zach. but it's _complicated."_

Felica said as Zach froze. _Complicated? Complicated? Complicated?!_

Zach thought as he began to ruminate. Complicated was not good. Complicated was the opposite of good. Complicated meant that something went wrong and if something went wrong than Ruby was-

 _"Complicated!?_ The hell does that mean!?"

"It means that while her implants were a success she lost far too much blood, and she needed even more extensive _augmentation_ than we predicted."

"And that means?"

"It means that while she is _alive,_ and improved. We have yet to wake her up."

"Because?"

"Becuase do not know _what_ will wake up. We do not know if Ruby herself will come back or if-

"Just wake her up doc!"

"Are you-

"Yes, I am bloody well sure! I'll even take responsibility for it so do it!"

He yelled as she sighed.

"So be it. I will see what wake up."

She said turning around as Zach sighed. HE paid off the pilot and several other people using his rather limited Bastion currency to circumvent he blonde winner and Kage but-

 _"Open up!"_

A familiar blonde yelled as the door of wh war thumped!

As aloud fist crashed into it making the locked door shudder.

"Oh fuck me the cavalry is-  
 _BANG!_

" _Here?!"_

Zach gulped as a bolt round tore apart the doors' handle in a shower of yellow light as he swore sprint away from the waiting room and bursting into the surgery room.

"Felicia?! Is she up is she?!-

Zach asked before he looked at Ruby and _screamed._

* * *

 _ **Initializing...**_  
 _ **Initializing...**_  
 ** _Initializing_ boot up protocol...**  
 _ **Rebooting...**_  
 _ **Rebooting...**_

 **Power sequence activated.**

 ** _"Ruby._ It is time to get up."**

A voice said as Ruby opened both of her eyes.

"Uh... Where.. Where am I?"

Ruby asked as she saw both of her eyes saw the word in a bright crimson color as a flurry of data flooded into her head.

 **"Current location. Bastion Mechanicus surgery room. Twelve thousand feet from the dorm. Two thousand feet above sea level."**

Her eye _said_ as Ruby looked around the bland white room.

"Where am-

 _"AHHH!"_

Ruby cried out as memories of, fire, blood, and pain filled her mind and-

 _"Red!? Red!?_ Are you ok!?"

Zach yelled shaking her arms as Ruby tuned to him.

"Zach!? Is then you where are we!? Why are we here?"

She asked as Zach grimaced.

"You took one helluva hit there Red! Be lucky I saved your life!"

"You? saved me?"

Ruby asked dumbfounded as he nodded.

"Sure did! Not like I was just going to leave you to die right?"

Zach said bitterly as Ruby glared at him.

 **"Heat beat increased by twenty percent. Levels of perspiration increased by thirty. He is _lying."_**

Her eye said as she glared at him.

"Zach. What really happened? Why am I here and why-

 _"RUBY!?"_

A familiar voice yelled as Jaune burst into the room his eyes fill with equal parts worry and anger, sword drawn followed by an equally worried Kage an ambivalent looking Mika. Who seemed just to be tagging along for the hell of it as Jaune looked at Ruby and gasped.

 _"Ruby!?"_  
Jaune gagged as he saw his best friend face, or what was left of it. Her face was atter mess of nasty deep scars, marring her once pristine face with terrible wounds.

Giver her the impression that she had been run over by a cheese grater, not only that it was dotted with burns and marks that looked like someone had taken a blow torch to her flesh!

Giving the girl a horrifying appearance as she blinked at him. Her augmented ey was now much more profound. It looked bigger and bulkier as her stuck out of her skull analyzing him.

He noticed that she was laying on a surgical!? Table of all things her body covered in a white dress as Jaune gulped.

"Ruby W-

 _"The fuck!?_ "

Kage yelled storm over to Zach grabbing him by the scruff of his armor as she glared at his friend.

"The fuck did you let happen to her!?"

"Nothing!"

"That doesn't look like nothing! What-

"Miss Rose was injured by a falling enemy mortar strike. It appears that there was an incident of friendly fire on the battlefield that brought her down."

" _Friendly fire?!_ How?"

Jaune asked as Felica frowned.

"Unknown. The student who ordered the attack is now deceased, I don't know why they ordered, but that cause the attacks that led to her injury. what I do know is that he dragged Miss Rose to safety at great risk to himself and saved her life in the process."

The nurse said as Kage let go of Zach.

"You saved-

"Yeah! I saved her! Jeeeze you people act like I'm some kind of god damned _monster!_ Is this the thanks that I get for risking my ass!? I swear if you were into my best fired I'd-

 _"Thank you."_

Jaune said hugging Zach as the boy blinked twice before he balked.

"Whoa! Whoa! Blondie I don't swing that way!"

Zach said pushing the boy of him before Ruby spoke up.  
"Jaune-  
"Ruby!"  
The boy yelled sprinting up the girl in hug uncaring about her face as he gripped her tight.

"I'm so glad you are safe! I was so worried! How do you fell? Ar you in pain or-

"I fell... _Amplified."_

Ruby said as her tone toon on a deep resonating almost _mechanical_ type of speech. Like she was talking through a speaker as Jaune blinked.

 _"Amplified?"_

"Yes. I fell _cold_... But, not... _bad_. I fell pain but. I also fell stronger. I do not know how to explain this."

"I do!"

Felicia said grinning ear to ear as she walked over to the girl.

"Ruby! You have recently undergone _significant_ cybernetic enhancements!"

The nurse said as she blinked.

"Like what?"

"The damage you sustained was far too much for average medical instruments to heal! Luckily I am a professional! Both of your femurs have been completely replaced with bionics. Your lower and upper intestines have been mostly removed and replaced with bionics. As a plus! You can now digest almost literally _anything_! As long as you can get it in your stomach and it is somewhat organic, your new intestines will be able to break it down to something nutritious for you!"

The nurse asked as Ruby gulped.

"What else is new to me?"

"Well for starters your are now over _fifty perce_ nt mechanical! Most of your flesh has been removed an replaced with metal!"

The nurse said proudly as Ruby balked.

"Fifty percent!?"

Ruby played as Felicia nodded

"Oh yes! Your body rejected some of the implants right away, so I ended up implanting some extra ones for smoothing it over. I replaced, muscle, tissue, and bone with metal making your stronger!"

The nurse said as Ruby balked as she walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Congratulations Ruby! As of right now, you are truly on your way to ascendance! And may one day you leave the fleshy prison you call a body behind for pure metal one."

"Wait! If I'm over fifty percent mechanical that means-

"It means you are a cyborg!"  
Mika said speaking for the first time since she arrived as Ruby gulped as her eye narrowed at her.

Making Ruby wish that her friend had not talked as she noticed that she was covered from neck to toe in a white smock.

"Why am I wearing this?"

She asked out loud as she yanked off her smock getting her first good look at her _lower_ body and she screamed...

* * *

 **AN: Well there it is! Our girl is back in action with a bit more of the shiny bits on her person! Now that this is done its time for some _Meat!_ Literally, the next chapter is about meat. More or less so until then!**

 **Also, to address one comment I read in the reviews I'm sorry to anyone reading this fic who is awaiting the reunion between Ruby Jaune and WBY and NPR because that reunion is a _long_ time coming! Basically, this fic is going to be my _longest_ fic yet. Since the way, I'm breaking down the chapters. I mean this will be my _shortest_ fic time wise but might be on fo my longest one story wise. If you want an example of how the future chapters will be broken down look at the first major arc in the original Death Korps mission. **

**Like, take the first Arc of the Death Korps missions. That was _six_ chapters. Six! That was a major plot point that took place in the span of a twenty-four hour period. While Bastion will be the shortest fic _time_ wise as the _entire_ event sin Bastion will take place in only three months time of which over _one_ has already passed. **

**It might be one of my longest running fics ever. Especially when I break down the missions into twenty-four hour periods or do what I just did and split the team having them do thier own missions together but simultaneously.**

 **So if you are looking for the reunion arc of this fic Sorry! I got a lot more _missions, plot twist, characters_ and locations to revel so you just got to be patient! And know that it is coming! Jaune and Ruby will meet their friends and family again! _Eventually_. And whether or not it will be a how you say a _happy_ reunion is up in the air! Though if you are hankering for the reunion just know that the _next_ time they set foot on the fort that is the arc right before the reunion so there! On a side note. **

**This is my story and it's going to take a while. Besides that? If you are reading this story than thank you, its been a ride and thanks for the support!**

 **Until then _Omake._**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant_ part ten. _The long road home._**

A wise man once said that your work is never done. And that if you truly put your mind to it there are never enough hours to a day, days to a week, weeks, to a month and months to a year. Jaune thought of this as he watched the small dome ship explode in mid-air as the missile destroyed it and turned into a ball of fire.

As the ship crumpled in on itself igniting into a miniature star before vanishing in puff of flame it took every muscle and every last once of his considerable willpower not to fall to his knees weeping, as the sound of laser fire filled the air, followed by the dull _whump, crack_ of explosions as bright balls of flame and massive plumes of smoke entered his vision.

Why me? I just wanted a _cocktail..._

Jaune thought silently before a familiar malodorous presence came to his side.

"Commisar, what are your orders?"

Ren asked his commander as Jaune slapped himself mentally.

 _Get it together Arc! You are a commissar! you are a leader of men! Stop the pity party and get in there!_ His inner commissarial voice yelled before his more practical and _much_ louder self-preservation voice yelled to stow it and he could throw the biggest damned pity party he felt like. It was always him! It was always him that ran into the Ursa on routine training missions.

It was always him who ended up knee deep in Beowulf's with no charge to _Crocea Mors_ and down to his lost shot in his pistol. It was always him who had to single handily face metallic skeletal horrors in the chilly ice caverns of Atlas! It was always him that had to charge the chaotically summoned Death Stalker with nothing but a rusty bayonet and a half-filled bottle of holy water!

Oum had it out for him and he could throw the biggest damned-

"Fall in! On my mark!"

Jaune yelled as the largest voice in his head. The one that said _I will not die._ Spoke up as he gathered the fledgling group around him.

"Back! Everyone back tot he building we are going to the streets!

"Bur sir! Ther's a war going on down there! What are we going to do?"

Ruby asked a Jaune gave her a firm smile

"Our jobs miss Rose. In case you forgot we are _soldiers_ after all. fighting in wars is our job, and winning them is our calling! Now, who is ready to die today?"

Jaune asked in his mot overplayed and theatrical voice as Falka jumped up.

" _Oh! Me!_ I'm ready to die, sir!"

The energetic ginger shouted hoping to her feet las rifle in hand as Jaune nodded

"Good las! Now every one! Through that door!"

Jaune yelled point _Crocea Mors_ to the rooftop door, leading the troopers _firmly_ from the back as they sprinted back into the building.

* * *

To give Oum credit he did like to mix it up a bit. As Jaune ran through the last flight of the governor's palace's stairs. It was not often that he was dressed to the nines, weapons in hand. surrounded by sharply dressed troopers and one radical faunus technophile as they made their way to the sewers of a major imperial city in order to go under a war zone.

As it turned out for some insane and almost definitely assinine reason the local civitas had decided that today was the day to kill one another because of reasons. And now there was a full-fledged war going on outside. Try as she might Ruby could not use her Vox to raise the regiment nor could she assert any order onto the ground forces to stop them from doing the Grimm's job for them.

Speaking of everyone's favorite creatures of the night, the Grimm. After a battle like this, there was sure to have casualties, heavy casualties on both sides that would breed fear, resentment, and negativity. Things that would attract the Grimm and make this situation a whole lot worse. As they ran Jaune was just grateful that Ren knew the building layout, and had figured out that the sewer line ran beneath it and they could take that line out of the palace and use it to escape.

Well, _most_ of the could Jauen thought as he looked to the faunus Shireena. She was in her defense a beautiful woman. Nice light amber eyes. Flowing black hair, big breast, and an hourglass figure? He would be lucky to date her any day out of the week. If only she was not a radical faunus technophile that would be lynched seven days from Sunday if she walked more than a block down an imperial city.

And was only alive dut to one. The combat stress prevented Falka or Ruby from having the time to but a las-bolt in her heretical back. Two. Jaune was in no mood to kill _another_ diplomat and cause even more paperwork to show up at his desk and three. Jaune just didn't have the time.

He needed to get back to regimental command and report to the regiment, hoping to Oum that Yatsu was really as good of a commander and could lead the Regiment in Ruby's absence and the figure out just what the hell was going on!

Then he could find someone _else_ to put the blame on. Pour himself a nice shot of Amnesac and wait for this whole thing to blow over preferably miles away from any of the _real_ fighting going on. He thought as Ren ripped open the sewer manhole entrance making Ruby and Shireena nearly vomit as Jaune sighed, years of being Ren's commanding officer all but immunizing him to foul smells and orders he grinned to his allies.

"Well. Ladies! It looks like Oum calls!"

Jaune said wink to Ruby as he bent his legs a took a deep breath and jumped inside...

* * *

To say when it rains it pours was probally the single most accurate description of life Jaune had ever heard. As he sat covered in filth in his command chair. By some stroke of luck, the five of them had not only managed to slog through of two miles of human waste and refuge. While Shireena complained bitterly the entire time. Stating that in an Enclave city their sewers where massive amounts of bacteria that ate waste and converted it into energy.

The group had by a stroke of luck been rescue before anyone was brutally murdered with a bayonet after Ruby had contacted a nearby regimental patrol as they give of them where able to hitch a ride back to thier base and _after_ dropping off Shireena back in her enclave preserving the tenuous peace between the Imperials and the Enclaves, Jauen had just wanted to go back into base and _shower._

That never happened of course, as the _moment_ he walked into the base. The very _second_ he took one foot into base he was surrounded by panicking soldiers, rushing orderlies and the full buzz of a military base as he was swamped by his most hated enemy _paperwork_. Usually, Jaune passed this job off to Ren who actually _like_ paperwork for some bizarre arcane reason that defied _all_ laws of men and physics. But currently, Ren was busy keeping the sea of humanity out form his office and keeping his paperwork relatively light. As Jaune felt a twinge of pity for anyone given the _unfortunate_ task of trying to stare down Lie Ren.

That man had a glare that could hold up a senior general in an instant and was stiff enough to break a mountain. Jaune had seen Ren stare down everyone from other commissars to admiral and generals he even stared down a sister of battle once!

Jaune could not help but grin as memories of the angry connoness threatening to burn Ren to a crisp if he did not let her pass and Ren merely telling her that he acted with the full authority of the commissariat and he could _not_ let her pass. Much to the sister anger as her eyes sparked up and started to bleed out _fire_.

" _Yang_ was so pissed."

Jaune said out loud grinning a small smile as he sighed. Work was work and it needs to be done or-

 _FATHOOM!_

A massive explosion rocked the base shaking the walls as Jaune sighed as Ren leaped back in the room.

"Sir! Ther has been an explosion underground nearby! We need to-

"I know Ren. I know."

Jaune said wearily standing up sighing heavily as he began to walk out of the base.

Now he needed to lead from the front! And he needed to do it alone before _others_ started to ask him to lead. With nothing but him Ren and-

Maybe... Yes! That will work!"

Jaune thought as he began to grin.

"Sir?"

Ren asked as Jaune's grin became manic in nature as he cracked his hands.

"Ren it's time we get some help on this."

"Sir we are stretched thin enough as is and-

"Not regular help Ren. I mean _special_ help."

"Sir? I don't follow."

"Ren let's go see our _penal legionaries_ and see who wants to earn their freedom a bit _early_. Why don't we?"

Jaune said as a plan began to form in his mind as a smile grew on his face as once again he was called to battle and once again, had a _reputation_ to up hold...


	27. Pillar one Heart's and minds

**:An. Here we go! More Bastion more action! In this part, we see Ruby's reaction to her new body, how her eye reacts to her friends and! We get the induction of a new _main_ character! All this and more int he next chapter of Bastion!**

 **Ps. Welcome to the story.**

* * *

"What happened to me!?"

Ruby screamed as she saw her new and improved lower half as she balked.  
"You have been _upgraded,_ Ruby! Your femurs are known mostly metal and spring! Most of you is now made of prosthetics, and you might just be in the running for most progressed along the path of ascension out of all the students-

"I don't _want_ this! I want my original legs back! I want my body back!'

Ruby yelled refusing to accept the twisted amalgamation under her smock as her body. Her once _nice normal knees_ were gone. Taken and replaced with cold unfeeling metal. While they appeared to be the same on the outs, there were large lumps of metal poking out from the bottom of the flesh.

Giving her skin warped deformed appearance that made the girl queasy as Felica sighed.

"Do not worry about your looks Ruby. The prosthetics will integrate with your body soon enough, so you need not be concerned about physical appearances. Beauty is skin deep after all right?"

Felica said happily as Ruby feel a growing ball of panic in her. Her lips were gone! Replaced with metal and oil! She could feel the wrongness in her body! Like a toxin in her blood that was eating her alive and-

 **"Ruby. Calm down."**  
Her eyes said as it began to _speak._

" ** _We_ have suffered major damage in our last mission. _We_ need to recuperate. _Our_ wounds while severe are not impossible to deal with. I am already integrating with your new limbs to speed up the integration process with your remaining biological components."**

Her eye said calmly as Ruby blinked.

"You can do that?"  
"Do what?'

Felicia asked as Ruby shook her head as her eye spoke.

" **Yes. Yes, I can. Fear, not Ruby I will not let this _minor_ inconvenience keep _us_ down."** It said as Felicia went over her clipboard. "Well, then your body is healed more or less. You will need to come back to me _twice_ a week for maintenance work for your limbs, but besides that, you are free to go. Just don't overdo it ok? Your body is stronger but it is also in need of rest so take a break k?'

The nurse said as Ruby nodded sighing ance and-

"Mister Arc. Mister Kage. Please come here for a moment. There is something I need to discuss with you."

Felica said as she called Jaune and Kage to the side of the room where she showed them a clipboard and began to whisper under her breath.

As Felicia began speaking to them in a hushed tone as Ruby glared at them.

" **Heartbeat is increasing, stress levels rising."**

Her eye said as Ruby glared at Jaune and Kage. It was true. Jaune's face was become wracked with sweat, and Kage's usually stone-like face was actually showing a sliver of emotions as the nurse whispers something to them and-

 **"I can read lips. Shall I see what they are talking about?"**

Her eye asked as Ruby nodded.

 _"Yeah._ Tell me what they are saying."

Ruby whispered to her self as her eye blinked.

 **"Jaune: What do you mean it's going to be permanent!?"**

Jaune whispered to the woman his eyes wide with worry as she nodded her head to him.  
 **"Felicia: I'm sorry Mister Arc bit I did my best but she was too far injured for me to stop this."**

This what the hell is this?  
Ruby thought as she glared at the group.

" **Kage: Is there really _nothing_ we can do?"**

 **"Felicia: I am sorry Mister Kage. Miss Rose will have to learn to live-**

 _"Reading lips huh!"_

Mika asked appearing out of nowhere sliding down next to Ruby with a serpentine-like grace interrupting her lip reading and making her gag.

 _"Mika!?_ What are you-

"Checking up on my _best friend!_ I missed you, Ruby!"

Mika said hugging the girl tightly making Ruby blush as the girl interrupted her spying.  
 **"I can no longer read their lips."**

Her eye reported as Mika's silver har blocked out her vision as the girl strange sweet smelling perfume. That reminded her of Mistral food stalls as the girl hugged her tightly as-

"Ruby. It's about time we go back to the dorm. It's been a long day so let's go back to our home K?"

Jaune asked with a nervous look as Ruby frowned.

" **He's nervous. Probably lying-**

"Jaune _doesn't_ lie!"

Ruby shouted as Jaune blinked owlishly at her.

"Ruby? What are you talking about?"

Jaune asked making Ruby blush before she shook her head.

"Nothing. I was just talking aloud you know?"

She asked playing it cool s Jaune nodded, the long thin scar on his face moving around his right eye as he gave her that same calming smile that warmed her heart.

"It happens to everyone right? Now let's go home."  
Jaune said as-

 **"Ask him about the clipboard."**

Her eye said as Ruby paused.

 **"He's keeping something from _us_ , Ruby. Ask him about the clipboard."**

Her eye repeated as Ruby pause once before gulping.

"He-hey Jaune!"

"Yeah, Ruby?"

"What did you and the nurse talk about?"

Ruby asked as she saw Kage and Felicia whispering to one another as Jaune froze as the bean to sweat.

" **His preparation is rising. His heartbeat is also increasing; these are all indicators of organics under duress. He displays clear signs of stress and nervousness. I believe that while he may not be lying to us. He is _definitely_ withholding information."**

Her eyes said as Ruby narrowed her eyes at her.

"Jaune, what did you and the nurse talk about-

"Oh! We just talked about.. _stuff!"_

"Stuff? What kind of stuff?"

"Um! You know just some stuff about your injury! Nothing terrible mind you! _Nothing_ life-threatening after all!"

"I'm glad to hear that-

 **"He is still withholding information. His heartbeat is to fast, and his preparation levels are too high for normalcy. I recommend we press for knowledge and** -

"Let me see it."

Ruby said as Jaune's face lost all color as he gulped.

"See what Ruby? What are you-

"The nurse clipboard. I want to see it."

Ruby demeaned hold out her right arm. Still badly scarred as eye scanned it claiming that it was currently operating at eighty percent efficiency, with a five percent increase predicted per day and-

"Right here _Red._ See for yourself."

Zach said coming from behind her and-

"Oh! Let me see too!"

Mika cried jumping on Ruby's back tossing her long hair over her prosthetic eye covering it entirely and wrapping her in a hug as Zach pressed a clipboard up to her face.

"You see _Red_? It says you took a nasty hit, lost both of your femurs, and needed extensive organ replacement. You needed some melt in your arms, and your face still looks like you took a balloon full of battery acid you're going to be ok!"

Zach said as he held Ruby' glare as she read the clipboard seeing with her own eyes that what Zach said was true and that despite her organic part replacement her body was more or less ok.

As she nodded once-  
 **"Ruby. I can not see. Please removed her hair."**

Her eye said as Ruby raised her hand to wipe Mika' hair away only for the girl's hand to shot out like lighting grabbing it mid-air and prevent her.

 _"Aw, Ruby!_ You wanted to hold hands!"

Mika said in her usual sing-song voice making Ruby blink owlishly at her.

"Mika I just wanted to-

 _"Ok!_ That's more than enough excitement for one day! Let's go back to our dorm! Team ARKM! Move out!"

Jaune said ina far to forced voice as he snatched the clipboard form Zach to sign it to the nurse as Ruby glared at him before grimacing once before following Jaune and Mika out of ht room as her eye made out the last bit of conversation with nurse and kage.  
 **"Kage: How long until you know for sure?"**  
 **"Felicia: I don't know, but she will have to find out soon enough."**  
 **"Kage: How the hell am I supposed to explain to her that-**

"Kage! Come on!"

Jaune said as he called his and Ruby's friend. Away from the nurse as he noted to her once.  
 **"Kage: We'll talk later."**  
 **"Felicia: You must tell her one day Kage."**  
 **"Kage: One-day but not today."**

Kage replied as the nurse nodded as Ruby grimaced Tell me what? What are you hiding from me?

The young girl thought as Jaune led her out of the room and into the Bastion hallways, as they went back to thier room.

* * *

Well, the journey to thier room was cut short as team _ARKM_ was called into their headmaster office for a mission briefing. Well, specifically Ruby and Zach where called din but Jaune, Kage, and Mika insisted on flooding them.

And somewhere along the way, Hino joined them wonder where the hell her partner was and why the hell he did not answer his scroll. As the six students made their way into the large oak doors that led into the den of Ludo.

"AH! _Miss Rose! Zach!_ I'm so glad to see your surgery was a success! And I must say that I am _beyond_ pleased to hear about your mission's success-

"Ludo! You _bastard!_ You told us that the Fang had no more artillery!"

Zach shouted at the top of his lungs not backing down even as Miss Heil took a threats step towards him. Her seeing red yee glowing crimson as her reacher behind her back and-

"No need Miss Heil. He has a point."

"As _you_ say."  
The dean said as she stopped a back as Ludo sighed.

"I _do_ apologize for the rather unfortunate events that transpired during your mission, but you of all people should know that these things happen. Intel is bad in war, and something you end up in bad situations."

"Don't I _fucking_ know it! I just came from one so what the hell was our malfunction? _Bad intel, coms trouble_ , did someone just say _fuck it_ and make a guess about the big ass guns that could kill us all in a moments notice!?"

"In short _no._ What happened here was the result of not properly document information. We knew that the Fang had no active variety in the area. What we left out was the fact that there where some abandon art tiles emplacements that the Fang could and did use to attack you."

"Sounds _great."_

Zach said sarcastically as Ludo sighed.

"It was unfortunate but rest assured! Your actions today where nor a waste!"

"Not a waste? Sir, what did we really do out there?"

Ruby used speaking up for the first time since she arrived int he office as the man grinned.d

"Why you! Miss Rose, along with Zach have successfully _annihilated_ the Fang presence in this region! From here on out there will be no more mission against them and you have finally stabilized this part of Remnant! Along with the heroic seizing of the Kernel, the Fang are _broken!_ A toast all around!"

The man said rais a hand to emulate drinking from a mug as Jaune grimaced.

"So it was _not_ for nothing?'

Ruby asked as the man nodded.

"No, it was not Miss Rose. Your actions that day had value, and you should feel proud of yourself for doing them!"

Ludo said easily as Jaune coughed.

"Sir, I must ask-

"Ask away Jaune. There is no reason to be shy. I have been _nothing_ but candid with you, and I expect you to do the same."

Ludo declared giving Jaune that same icy smile that chilled him to his core as he nodded.

"Sir I take great care of my team. And when you split us up, and send us away like you just did you put us in grave danger. Sir, you made us a _unit_ , a cohesive fighting force meant to work together, not apart."

"We _train_ together, we _eat_ together, we _live_ together, and we _sleep_ together. We are a unit sir, and we work best when all of us are there as a united force. Not when we are separated and cast about like leaves from a tree left to fall and die."

Jaune said glaring as Ludo give him a full toothy smile revealed the rows upon rows of perfect white teeth, in a wide grin that disturbed him to the core. As he felt like once again just being in the general vicinity of the headmaster was putting his soul at risk.

"Jaune while I _do_ appreciate your protectiveness of your team I must remind you that I am the headmaster of this school. And I govern it with a purpose."

The man said reaching onto his desk and sighing heavily.

"I rule this school because I am the not only the best but the _only_ one for this job. And I will _alway_ s do what I see as best for the whole of Bastion."

The man sad as Jaune held his icy glare for a moment before Luso smiled seemingly please with his resilience as he went on with his talk.

"I know that you are one of if not _the_ best teams in Bastion, you are still just that. _A team,_ I put you together, and I can rip you apart. I know you work best as a whole, but there are times when I will not need your whole."

"There will be times when you will be divided split up and taken into parts. You are all parts of a greater whole, meant to tackle any task that I may deem fit. You are all _tools_ for me to use, and sometimes certain task requires only one or maybe half but not the whole of the set to complete a task as efferently as possible. And I will use them as _I_ see fit."

The man said with a grim finality as Jaune held his glare before taking a deep breath and letting out a long breath.

"I see sir, I _understand."_

 _"Splendid!_ Now that we have that unpleasantness out of the way let's get to the good news!"

"Good news? Sir, what's the good news, besides the Fang's annihilation?"

Jaune asked as the man smiled.

"Jaune! So glad you asked! Now that you are some of my elites! You will need to not only go on Bastion elite missions, which your first one is coming ups on-

 _"First?_ Sir if what we just did where not delete mission then what the hell are we doing!?"

Jaune asked as Ludo smiled.

"Simple my boy. What you just did were _favors_ , to me. I asked you to do something that I believe you were the best toll for me. And now I will reward you. _After_ your first real mission of course."  
Ludo's smile became a ghoulish grin as Jaune balked.

"Real mission? Sir the things we just did where all-

 _"Child's play!_ My dear boy that mission could not even be considered to be a real mission! They where hardly training exercises compared to what's coming _next!"_

The man said snapping his fingers as the dean sighed heavily as she began walking to the corner of the room.

"Now! Since you, four are my _golden geese!_ So to say, you all need to look the part!"

The man said as Miss Hel returned with an armful of large black circles as Jaune blinked owlishly.

"Sir? What are those?'

Jaune asked as Miss Heil dropped a significant amount of what could only be described as shiny black collars on the desk as he grinned.

 _"These!_ Jaune, are your _brand new collars!_ I know you might have gotten used to not wearing them, but that just won't do! You are Bastion students! Punishment students at that, and you need to look the part!"

The man said as Miss Heil stepped forward to Jaune, holding out the long climb collar to Jaune's neck as her glaring red eyes glared at him.

"Step forward Mister Arc. Do _not_ make me walk to you."

The dean said in a fiery tone as her eyes went alight with red flames as Jaune froze with fear for a moment before glaring at her as he walked forward and-  
 _Click!_

Jaune grimaced as he lost one chain and gained another, shiner newer one. As the collar attached itself onto his neck, as he felt twin needles poked into his body as he grimaced.

"What was-

 _"Poison._ Mister Arc that was the poison."

Miss Heil said in a neutral voice as Jaune froze.

 _"Poison!?_ Why would you poison me?!"

 _"Simple_. Besides the collar's explosive charge that is still active, you are now _elite_ Bastion students. That means that you carry a fair amount of risk to your self, especially given the level of _autonomy_ that we are giving you. So in order to protect not only our interest but the greater interests of the world a whole, you are all being slowly poisoned."

The woman said as Jaune felt his blood run cold.

"Is it-

 _"Lethal?_ Yes. The collar was injected a steady stream of poison into your bloodstream. As long as you don't leave the leave the general vicinity of Bastion you are fine. But, if you leave the school ground without your instructor's permission or being in their general proximity, the poison will kill you.'

The dean claimed as Jaune felt his breath hitch and-

 _"Instructor?"_  
The blonde asked forcing himself to walk away as she felt the surprisingly light collar on his neck. As the collar despite looking absolutely massive was not very heavy. In fact that it was so lightweight that it seemed like he was not even wearing it.

As he heard a-  
 _Click!_

Ruby's collar was put on, as Jaune watched it _shrink_ , changing its shape to fit her smaller neck size as the girl now had a massive black collar with the letter **P** emboldened on it in bold red lettering as Ozpn grinned.

"Yes, Mister Arc. From this day onward you will have your very own teacher assigned to you! They will act as a leader, or _chaperone_ as such for you missions form this day until you are freed from your service on your _hopefully!_ Inevitable return to Beacon."

Ludo said as Kage took his collar with a grunt as the loud sharp _Click!_  
Filled the air as he walked ad as Mika happily skipped forward taking her new piece of management with a smile and again as one last _click!_

Filled the air as the alt member of team _ARKM_ had thier new collars attached. As the final collar was attached, Ludo began to smile.

"You will all have _one_ day to rest. Starting tomorrow, you will take you _first_ elite mission and meet you, new instructor. This teacher will be your liaison on your journey's outside of Bastion. Whci will not only be more common they will be for much longer times."

"During your travels with them, it is in your best interest to make sure that they get back here safe and sound. As for every time, you leave a timer is stared on your collars. If you are not back in Bastion with the time frame, the timers will explode killing you on the spot! But fear _not!"_

The man said stopping the outburst from coming as he waved his hand.

 _"Only_ the instructors can delay this charge, and they can only do it once. So if you want to live you keep them live. Your life is in thier hands.

The man with the blanching face of Jaune, Kage, and Ruby. As the three students began to fight panic as his grandaughter simply smile happily putting her nads behind her back and swinging her hips without a care in the world. Like she was in the middle of a friendly chat and had not been giving a new death warrant.

"Anyway go back to your dorm Jaune. Take your team and get some rest. Trust me you are going to need it."  
The as s Jaune felt a cold hand gripping his heart as he began to truly feel fear for the first time in a long time steam Arkm left the room, leaving Zach and Hino to Ludo for a _talk_ as they left their friends behind and went back home...

* * *

"So... what now?'

Ruby asked in a tired voice as she sat on her dorm bed a forlorn as she shook her legs in the air with a tired frown on her face.

"What do we do? _Kage? Jaune? Mika?'_

Ruby asked as she looked at her team, no her _family._ As the people in the room where much closer to Ruby that anyone else in the world, even some members of her own family did not share thier place in Ruby's life as they all sat down on thier individual beds, as they looked down at their feet.

"What do you think _Red?_ We live, we fight and we prepare to die. Same as always."

Kage said laying back in his bed looking at the grey ARKM ceiling frown slightly as he grimaced.

" _Elite missions_? Did I think we already went on elite missions? If those things were just training missions what the hell are we going to be dong tomorrow!?"

Jaune asked to form his bead looking at his reflection in _Crocea Mor's._ Holding his reflection in its blade. Grimacing at the long scar that went down his face. Aside effect form the Ursa majors in the wilds.

Levin twin long thin scar on his face, that while not overly obvious on his face would leave a mark for the rest of his life. And for some reason Jaune and the dark inkling that these scars were simply the first of many, as he knew that there were far more scars coming to his body.

The boy thought as he sat on his bed.

"Don't worry Ruby. Me and you are going to get through this ok? We already got rid of one month in this place. We're _almos_ t at the halfway point. After that, we just need to hold on and then we are home free. Ok?"

Jaune said to his best friend who blushed slightly as she nodded her head.

"Yeah! _Sure!"_

Ruby said as she blushed as her eye shot out of her head, the augmetic appendage shattering and squeezing at Jaune as it held his glare.

"Why the long faces!? Why is everyone so _sad!?_ We should be _celebrating!_ Not mopping!"

Mika shouted out loud as the girl stood up on her bed and pouted.

 _"Mika?_ What would we be celebrating?"

Jaune asked in _slight_ irritation as the girl glared at them.

"We just got _promoted!_ We are going to go on even more missions! This is a good thing! Not a bad one!" Mika complains as she slammed her foot down, pouting openly as she puffed out her cheeks. In her best puffer fish imitations, Jaune sighed.

"Mika. We are in a bad situation here-

 _"NO!_ No, we are not in a bad situation! We are in a _great_ one!"

"A _great_ one? We are in a great situation?"

"Yes! That's what I've been trying to tell you! We are in a great situation in it's irritating as hell to me that despite the amusing situation that we are in it looks like I'm the only one out of my friends that even realizes it!"

"What part of our situation can be considered even to come _close_ to being good?"

Kage asked in slight irritation as he laid on his bed not bothering to look t her as she glared.

"Kage! Look at us! We are in the _best_ situation ever! We have everything!"

"Everything?"

"Yes, everything! _Jaune!"_

"Yes?"

"Jaune you are the one that should be thanked Ludo for this! He has literally given you everything you ever needed in one simple basket! You really should be _thanking_ him right now and not be pouting in the room with the rest of these _sour pusses!"_

The girl declared as Jaune raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why would I _ever_ defend Ludo, let alone thank him?"

"Becuase he's giving you a _gift!"_

"And that would be?"

"The chance to do _better!_ Jaune your entire goal in life is to help people right?!"

"Yes? I did come to Beacon to learn to be a hunter so that I could help people. But why the hell would I be thanking Ludo for putting a new collar on us and telling us that we are as good as dead."

The boy said raising his eyebrow at the girl as she fumed.

"Becuase! Ludo is a _good guy!_ _You_ are a good guy! _Bastion_ is the good guys! And every time we go on missions we fight the bad guys!"

Mika declared as Jaune felt a burst of bone-chilling cold air on him, as Mika's torso disappeared in a shower of blood. As her upper body was ripped in half as he saw the uniform of the Bandit hunters on her, as the corpse of the dead Atlas lieutenant entered his vision and-

 _"Jaune!"_

Mika yelled thinking the boy out of his hallucinations he blinked twice.

"What? What-

"Stop spacing out and listen to me! You are a Bastion student! We are _all_ Bastion students! When we go out, we fight bad guys! The very reason you exist! And the harder the mission, the worse the bad guys!"

"And the worse the bad guys, the better we will make the world when we succeed!"

Mika declared as Ruby raised her head.

"Wait for what?"

"Think about it, Ruby! Bastion is the good guy right?"  
 _"Right."_  
"Then when we go on missions we fight the _bad guys_ right?"

"Yeah...

"So! By that logic the harder the mission, the _worse_ the bad guys! The worse the bad guys, the more _good_ we can do if we succeed!"

Mika declared as Jaune saw Ruby's silver eye light up in awe.

"Your right! The harder the mission he more good we can accomplish if we win!'

 _"Exactly_! If we do these missions, we can save people! We can come help others!"

The girl said as Kage sat up ready to say something sarcastic as Jaune saw an opportunity.

"Mika."

"Yes, mister _~boss man~?_ What's up have you seen the light?"

She asked as Kage grinned.

"I doubt it; he's probably going to say-

"That you are absolutely right."

 _"Not that."_

Kage said as his mouth dropped as Jaune declared his support for Mika as Mika gasped as Kage looked concerned.

"Uh... Boss? You hit your head on something on the bullhead?"

Kage asked looking at Jaune like he might have a severe concussion as Jaune grinned.

"Not at all! But Mika _is_ right!"

"See! I told you! Even Jaune thinks' I'm right!"

Mika declared as Kage held his leader's eyes, his light brown one gazing at him with curiosity as Jaune winked at him.

"Mika is right! Bastion is the good guy in this scenario and-

"Now I _know_ that you hit your head."

Kage mumbled as he went on.

'Think about it! Mika is right! Not only are we the good guys! We are _the_ good guys! Ruby, Kage! Think about it! Look at what we do! We do missions, tasks, operations that no one else can do! Even at the being can you think of anyone! And I mean _anyone_ else that could do what we dod? Form the badlands, to the Grimm hive, to the arena battles, to our own missions! No one! And I mean no one we know could do the things that we do!"

Jaune said drawing his sword, as Ruby looked at him with awe and Mika nodder her had rapidly as Kage help him with a suspicious glare.

"Boss? Where are you going with-

"If not us then who? Think about it! This mission, this operation that is without a doubt! For the greater good of the world can be done b no one else! If we do not do this mission than who will? If we don't' step up as heroes then _who will?"_

"Exactly! _~ Boss Man's~_ got it down pat!"

Mika declared happily as Jaune turned to Ruby a bright smile on his face as he did.

"Ruby! Don't you want to be a hero? Just like your mother?"

 _"Yes!_ More than anything?'

"Mika, don't you want a _good_ fight?"

 _"Hell yeah!"_

"Kage! Don't you just want a quiet day where you can just read your book _s without_ anyone trying to kill you?"

"You know I do. But _where_ are you-

"Then we _have_ to do this! We have to step up today because if not us then no one else will! Team _ARKM! W_ e are the worlds _last best hope!_ We are all that stands before Remnant and the forces of _darkness_! If we do not step up tomorrow then who will? _No one!_ That's who!"

Jaune said pointing his sword to the middle of the room as he grinned.

"Now! Who will stand with me?"

 _"I will!"_

Mika said pulling out her ax and locking it with his sword, as Ruby blushed madly before sprinting up to the center of the room in a trail of roses.

 _"So will I!_ "

Ruby said taking out _Crescent Rose_ , and putting int the center of their locked weapons as he turned to the last member of the group.

"Kage? What do you say? Do you stand with team _ARKM?_ Do you stand with your friends before they go out to battle?"

Jaune asked as Kage gave him a long hard look. Wondering what the hell had gotten into his leader as he sighed once as he began to walk forward.

"Sure. _Why not?"_

The boy asked shrugging once as he took out a bolt pistol and put it together with their weapons as Jaune grinned.

"Alright! Team _ARKM!_ From this day onward we are it! We are the _last wall!_ The _guardians_ in the night! The _wardens_ of the north! We are humanities first and _last_ line of defense! Tomorrow is our first step towards our journey to become legends!"

Jaune yelled in his most charismatic voice as Ruby and Mika ate it up as Kage still looked confused.

"Tomorrow is the beginning of our futures! Tomorrow is the day we become legends and make out marks as the legendary hunters of tomorrow!"

 _"YEAH! ~Boss Man~_ let's kick some ass!"

Mika cried as she pumped a fist into the air.  
"I'm ready Jaune! I'll do _anything_ for you."

Ruby said blush as hr eye zoomed in on him in what looked like an inquisitive glare. As if the eye did not trust him and-

"I don't really get a choice, do I? Might as well die together, with a _shot_ at being legends."

Kage said as he began to nod as Jaune grinned.

"Alright! From this day forward we are legends in the makings! Team _ARKM today!_ Team A _RKM forevermore!"_

"Team _ARKM forevermore!"_

His teammates yelled as they all cheered and began to smile, as the depressed mood was ripped from the air, and replaced with an electric charge atmosphere as Jaune grimaced internally.

 _I must keep our morale high. If we do not think we can win we will all die._

"How about some smokes! Kage?"

Jaune asked as the boy shrugged pulling out a small box of _Vacuo slims._ As he opened the small cartridge as he took out four white lines.

"Sure thing."  
He said as he gave each member of the team a light s Jaune smiled.

"Mika, care to do the honors?"

Jaune asked as the girl grinned.

"Sure thing _~boss man~."_

The girl said taking out _Chamberlain_ and stoking it's pilot light as she lights their cigarettes as Jaune inhaled relish the flavor of them as he took a long drag.

 _They need to believe in our cause. I don't care if what we do is right or wrong. Right and wrong are arbitrary concepts that I could care less about. I owe it to Ruby, I owe it to Kage and Mika, I owe to myself to get us all out of this in one piece no matter what. I will survive. My team will survive. And nothing is going to stand in our way._ Jaune thought as team _ARKM_ enjoyed their cigarettes as they took a long drag and began to relax.

* * *

"Everyone ready?"

Jaune asked as he leads team _ARKM_ down the hallways of Bastion. The now unified team had rallied form their depression last night and now walked head's held up high as the went to their destiny.

The team not only looked happy, all eyes except Kage who still had a _hefty_ level of skepticism to Jaune. As he eyed his leader cautiously as he knew that Jaune was hiding something.

Luckily for him, Kage was keeping whatever doubts he had to himself. As he had ye tot voice any concerns to him openly, trust Jauen to tell him about it later on.

 _That's why I trust him._

Jaune thought as his _official_ only Bastion friend and _unofficial_ best male friend walked behind him. As the only other _friend_ he had in Bastion was Zach and that did _not_ count. And Ren probably thinks he was dead so he was left with Kage. Who walked behind him hands over his head in a realized way as he kept his eyes straight.

Next came Mika, skipping happily not having a care in the world. Jaune made sure to make the girl a churro himself. As her initial speech of them being the good guys allowed Jaune to speak of the greater good. And rally them.

Ruby was yond happy. Her remaining biological eye liting up with pure happiness, as her augmented one seemed to be glaring? At him, as it did not turn them and-

" _~Boss man~_ we made it!"

Mika said as they reached the oak door that leads to the headmaster's personal quarters as Jaune sighed.

 _"Ok!_ Is everyone ready for this?"

" _Yup! Let's get um!"_

 _"I' here for you Jaune!"_  
 _"Let's just get this over with."_

The various voices of team _ARKM_ replied as Jaune plastered on his best-winning smile on his face.

"All right! Team _ARKM Today?"_

"Team _ARKM forevermore!"_

The three others said completing the now official team _ARKM_ chant, a fact Jaune had implemented the other day to boost morale in his team mate's minds as they walked in the door's and into thier fate.

* * *

"Ah, Mister Arc! And team _ARKM!_ A _pleasure!"_

Ludo said as they walked in the door as Jaune walked confidently up to him not caring about the baleful glare of Miss Heil as he strode up to the man's desk.

"What's the mission, sir? Tell me now so I can prep my team."

Jaune _ordered_ as the man raised an eyebrow at him.

 _"My... My..._ You gained a back been last night. I like it! And here I thought you're lost your spine!"

The man said laugh that she bone-rattling brittle laugh that mad Jaune's ears hurt as he cackled.

"Sir. I have no time for this, tell me our mission. _Now._ "

"Why yo-

"Easy Miss Heil! The boy's found his voice! No need to take that way form him! _This soon..._

The man said fixing him with a bale glare that promised untold suffering if Jaune pushed his luck as he stared at his green collar on the button up shirt he was wearings the top of his desk glowed as a blue hologram popped up out of it.

"You will be going _here!_ An abandoned old-world city located some five hours from here by air! You will begin under the escort of a teacher, and you will be charged with investigating strange occurrence in the area. While also on the lookout for old world technologies in the area!"

The man said as Jaune nodded

"Good. I can use this. Now, who is our teacher, or liaison.'  
Jaune asked the man grinned

"I'm glad you asked Mister Arc. I was going to give you a random teacher, but in light of your current accomplishments, I have given you a familiar face! You know this teacher quite well!"

Ludo claimed as Jaune blinked owlishly at him.  
"A teacher that I _know?_ Who would that-

 _WHAM!_

The doors of the office flew open as Juan turned around to see a familiar face

"Sorry, I'm late boss! I got a bit caught up with some are recruits! But I'm here now!"

A familiar voice so as Jaune saw a pair of bright purple eyes, under a flowing mane of long straight purple hair. Attached to a surprisingly young face, over a massively muscled body. As a familiar woman walked into the room

"Ahh! _Uzepi!_ So glad you could join us!"

Ludo said warmly as Jaune froze. As visions of being in a dark room filled with frightened kids in white outfits stood around a holographic table as plans where explained to him his first mission enter his mind, followed by _flames, death, shooting_ , and _despair._ As the woman who first led him leaked the dorms, Uzepi caught his look as she grinned.

 _"Jaune?_ That you? You still alive?! I knew we mad a good choice with you!"

She said slamming her massively muscled fist on the desk as she locked her bright purple eyes on Jaune a shot him a toothy grin.

"Anyway we never did get properly introduced so here I am! _Uzepi Kogorwachi!_ Reporting for duty!"

She said turning to Ludo saluting him once before pivoting to Jaune as he grinned at him.  
"So blondie tell me, _did you miss me?"_

* * *

 **An: Well there we go! Bet you didn't expect that! Bring back characters from the first chapters! Now the real story being as the first real mission begins let's see what goes down! Jaune's got his mojo back! Even if he is willing to lie he's there for his team no matter what! But will that even matter in the end? Will anyone live? Will they keep their limbs? Will they finally see their friends? Find out next time on Bastion!**

 **Next chapter _Walking with a gohst._**

* * *

 **Omake Hero of Remnant part 11. His majesty's holy inquisition. Or why I like redheads.**

"Why are things always exploding around me?"

"It is our professions, sir. We do tend to be in danger a fair bit more than most others.'  
Ren said phlegmatically as he Jaune sat in the back of his common Chimeral as the roared out of the base.

Jaune was already in a bad mood, for one he was still washing off the scent of the damned sewers off of him, as the hours-long slog through the wast of a whole city had proved resilient to have the most reliable detox showers and powers.

As Jaune sat next to Ren, he took stock of his situation and his new found companion as the metal hull of the tracked vehicle jerked and jostled them around as they roared down the city streets.

As Jaune sat in the vehicle he grimaced, it was one thing for a man city to tung into anarchy, which happened with some level of predictableness sin the imperious of OUm but this? For a normally insignificant city to turn into sheer chaos in one night? That was not a good sign.

As the vehicle roared down the path, he took a look at t his brand new command squad. On his right was his best friend and trusted second Lie, Fenrik Ren. As he polishes his melta pistols with a religious-like patient as the man long black hair and malodours aura enter his nose.

Down the vehicle to the left sat the newly instated command squad of the regiment.  
The first member of the penal legionary squad was at all man with pale skin and grey hair, with a sniper rifle on his lap. He was called Black. Mercury Black. He was a sniper for the old male unit. One of there best to, who went off the deep end, and if the reports where to believed killed a bunch of civilians in the process.

Unforrutnnely or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Mercury was never charged due to lack of evidence, and the surprise disappearance. Of the region former commissars, the day before his trial was scheduled to commence.

The man has cleared of all charges and was only here for fighting in the damn brawl that injured dozen of soldiers and causes anarchy in a mess. He saw legs crossed with his head behind his head sleeping lightly as the vehicle moved on.

Next to him was a boy, really. Oscar Pine. Prive first class. He was badly injured in the brawl but had stabbed a woman with a bayonet so he was here now. He was a shot boy, not even nineteen with light brown skin, and dark freckles on his face as he st quilt with his las gun over his chest, clutching it to his falk armor like a newborn baby praying to it machine spirt for protection.

Next to him sat the medic for the woman. Penny Pollendidna. She was responsible for saving Oscar's life int he brawls. A life she saves by mercifully murdering her own until member when they came to close to him, killing three members of her own unit as they came to attack the drowned boy.

She was a sort woman, slightly older than Oscar, with bright orange hair shining green eyes and a perpetual cheery demeanor that sent chills down Jaune's spine.

Next to her sat Arslan. The female ringleader for the fighting. She sat arms process. Her massive muscled frame was barely able to contain her in her flak armor. As her brown skin shone in the dim chimera light and-  
"Sir! Reporting multiple explosions coming ahead! T minus thirty seconds till we disembark!"

The driver said as Jaune nodded, as he grimaced not happy about the fact that he was going to be shot at so soon, after just getting home.e

"Ok men! You know the plan! We are to fan out investigate the are and secure the perimeter! You are all under the watchful gaze of Oum here! So look sharp and remember he is watching!"

Jaune said in his best commissar voice as he got a mixed response from the men. Oscar saluted him so hard he knocked himself back into Penny's lap. Blushing made as the woman gasped. Before holding him down to check on his head. Completely oblivious as he sung face as he stuttered out his apologies.

Mercury grunted like someone was waking him form a good dream as he mumbled something about being his best and finest. Arslan sneered once picking up her auto gun and loading it, as Ren cocked his hell pistol as the Chimera slammed on its right.

Skidding along the pathway as the hatch flew open as Jaune saw a burning warehouse falling spot as las bolt pinged!

Off the outside hates as unknow figure opened fired on them, as the hull was hit by a plethora of hard rounds and energy bots and-

"Sniper! top of the roof

"Got it!"

Black?! Yelled as the man went from dead sleep t on his knees aim his long-las flooded by a harsh crack!

Of yellow light as he plucked a formely hidden figure of a rooftop as Jaune nodded to him.

"Good shooting Black! Kepp them off us!"

"Got it."

Mercury said before aim and firing as another yellow flash and hard crack! Filled the air as another figure fell as Jaune looked at the brand warehouse and-

"Commissar! There are people coming!"

The medic Penny yelled pointing to a small line of dark figures running out of the warehouse as las bolts flew at them as Jaune nodded.

"I don't know if they are friendly, but they aren't shooting at us yet. Arslan! Put down some covering fire for them!"

"Got it."

She replied as she leveled her auto gun unload a stream of ire onto them as Oscar leaped up next to her. "Covering fire!"

Oscar yelled firing his gun on full auto filling the air with a deadly hail of crimson bolts, making a fantastic light show but not hitting anything. And only succeeding in filling the air with the pungent smell of ozone as Arslan snarled at him.

"Who the hell taugh you to aim!?"  
She demaned as BANG!

One of the figures a tall man with brown skin's head exploded as he collapsed to the ground. As a hard round stuck him as the figures paused once before double-timing it to the Chimera. As the ran Jaune say the lead figure brandishing an Imperial Aquila in hand. As Jaube nodded once.

"Cover them! Over here! Run! Run dammit!"

Jaune yelled ducking a las-bolt that pinged! Sharply on the inside of the Chimera. Richceting for a moment before dissipating thankfully fast not hitting anyone. As Peny crept forward las rifle over her shoulder her medicine box in hand as the first of the hooded figures leaped in the APC.

Followed by three more as on figure was carrying another one s the leader shouted at the top of her lungs.

"The door! Close the fetching door damn you!"

The woman yelled ina far to mail voice as Jaune nodded.

"You heard the lady! Drive close up and get us the hell out of here!"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

The driver yelled swiveling the transport as they burned out of the shots slamming most of them to the floor as the figure being carried was ripped from her handler only to be caught be Ren who did a flying dice to catch her.

"I got you!"

Ren cried catching the woman in his arms. As they both slammed into the dull grey walls with an unhealthy thud! As her hood fell to reveal a pair f fluffy cat ears, identifying her as a faunus, with a large wrap? Over her forehead. As her pale skin began to bristle as she screamed out loud.

 _"THE VOID! THE VOID COMES! IT IS NEAR!"_

The cat faunus yelled screaming in pain? It looked like as Ren held her close trying to calm the woman asPenny lept o her.

"Where is the pain? Tell me so I can treat you."

The medic demanded as she took out her medical box as the fauns screamed "The void comes! The voice comes!"

She yelled as the first figure stood upright taking off her hood and showing off a Maine of blood red hair, and piercing green eyes in the process.

"Interesting most-

 _"You!_ The singer! What are you doing here?"

Jaune yelled brandish his pistol as the other figure took of their hood showing them to be a woman with green hair and red eyes on smooth mocha skin as she glared at Jauen.

"You! How dare you talk to her like that! Who do you think you are?!"

She asked drawing a pistol?! At him before the barrel of a sniper rifle was put to the base of her head as Mercury aimed his long-las at her clinking his teeth ruefully.

" _Uh, uh, uh!_ Easy there _tall dark and gorgeous._ That man's a commissar you know? And he can point that the gun at whoever the hell he wants. Especially people like you."

"Like me?!"

"That's what I said."

"What do you mean people like me?!"

"People who are for some damn reason int he middle of a burning warehouse getting shot at, and worse getting us shot at!"

Mercury shouted to the green hair woman making her growl in anger.

 _I like him._ Jaune thought once before tun to the redhead amazon who held an utterly bemused look in her eyes as Jaune glared at him.

We'll see how bemused you are when you are facing commissariat court!

"Look, I don't know who you are, but the last time I checked singers don't go around getting shot at. Nor do they ignore my orders to say in the room! Now you will tell me who the hell you are! Or so help me I will-

" _Pyrrha Nikos. A senior agent of his majesty's holy inquisition, Order Xenos-Grimmacus."_

The woman said showing Jaune a badge with a grinning skull and a large I on it's front as Jaune froze.

Why me? Jaune thought as his relatively simple life just got a whole lot more _complicated..._


	28. Pillar one Walking with a ghost

**_AN._ Here we go! More Bastion! More action! Here we take a look at the first but not _last_ official Death Korps mission! The goal is simple fine anything from the old world that is useful and brings it back to Bastion for study! Do a good job and you get to live! Fail you die simple as that! Also! We get to see a new recurring character Kage get's a new _toy_ and aliens!? With some _dark_ foreshadowing of future events! All this and more in Bastion!**

 **PS. If you get the reference in this chapter I love you.**

* * *

 _"You?!"_  
Jaune asked in shock as the bright purple eyes of Uzepi looked at him hungrily.  
"Yup! Me! Tell me blondie did you miss me?"

The woman who had been his first taste of the horror that was Bastion had to offer him asked as she flashed him a hungry smile.  
 _"Boss!"_  
Kage said in a rare display of real emotion in his voice as he stepped forward eyes shining? As he walked up to the woman.

"Kage! You stubborn son of a gun! You still breathing?"

"Last time I checked! _Unfortunately."_

The boy said as the woman laughed easily as Jaune felt the hairs on his back raise up as Kage called her _boss. U_ sually, he called only his boss, and when he did, he never did it like _that._ Like he was in awe of him. As if the woman was a shining sun as Kage held reverence in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Hah! Sounds like you!"

 _"Uzepi!_ You came back to us!"

"Mika! How is my favorite loveable psychopath? You still doing horrible things to people against their will?"

The woman asked as the girl bounced over to her giggling softly.

 _"Yup!"_

" _Atta girl!_ Never change you hear me!"

She said before ruffling her silver hair affectionately as the girl laughed happily like a spoiled child.

"Yes, Mam!"

The girl said saluting her quickly as she turned to Ludo.

"All right Boss what's the drop? Simple smash and grab or are we going _hunting_ today?''

The woman said her face flashing a toothy grin Ludo smiled that under ghostly smile the sent Jaune's hairs on end.

"Today you are simply on a mission to scope out and abandoned old world city. There are rumors of technological advancements from the old world were still salvage and potentially in working order. You are to find any working or salvageable pieces of technology retrieve them for us." The man said as Jaune froze.

Old world technology was beyond rare. It was religiously coveted by every government in the kingdoms. It was usually priceless beyond measure more valuable than all the lien on the planet! And that was just for scraps! To find any tech that was salvageable let alone _functioning!?_

It was unheaded of and-

"When do we leave?"

The boy asked breaking himself out of his reverie as Ludo nodded.

" _Immediately._ I want this mission done sooner rather than later so you will depart now."

He said as Jaune nodded as the five of them moved as one as the went out of the office and to heir _first_ real Bastion mission as proud members of the Death Korps elite.

* * *

"All right! Team _ARKM_! On the ship!"

Jaune yelled as he waved his team forward as the large muscled figure of Uzepi followed them from behind a calm smile on her lip and an easy swagger on her hips. As she walked forward onto the craft.

"You heard blondie _kiddos!_ We got our selves a mission to do, so let's get to it!"

She yelled her booming voice easily heard over the whine of the powering up bullhead engines. As the ramp was raised up as Jaune and Kage lept aboard the craft. Followed by Ruby Mika then Uzepi, acting as an anchor as all five of them jumped on board the craft as it began to lift off.

As Jaune felt a fist in his gut as the ship shook once as it began to lift off the ground as the roar screech of the engines filled the air as they began to take off.

"Ok, you lousy bastards! Asses in seats and hands on your guns! We got a mission to do!"

Uzepi said ordering _his_ team around as Jaune glared at her.

"Team Arkm, take a seat. We need to rest before this thing."

Jaune said neutrally with a hint of annoyance as Ruby nodded sitting next to Mika on the far side of the ship as Kage sat next to him as Uzepi gripped a handhold of the ship as it shot forward. As she pulled out a small black _Vox_ from her pale grey flak jacket that was wrapped around her admirably bountiful chest. That was hoisted by her insanely muscled arms that looked like coiled springs as she shouted in the _Vox._

"Pilot! What's our eta to our drop site?"

"F _ive hours mam! We will get there in roughly five hours from now! Assuming our flight path is clear from any flying Grimm, and we have favorable headwinds! I predict we will and around three pm local time!"_

"Outstanding pilot!"

The woman said before turning her sharp eyes to Jaune as she smiled.

"Jaune! Say hi to the pilot! You are going to be working with her for the foreseeable future so you might as well get acquainted with her!"

The woman said reaching into her purple vest and retrieving the _Vox_ and tossing it at Jaune as he picked it up and pressed the speak button.

"Hello?"

 _"Hello! This is your pilot speaking! Jaune! I look forward to working with you in the future!"_

The cheery voice of the pilot said as Jaune frowned.

"For the foreseeable future? What does that mean?"

"Didn't anyone tell you blondie? You are in with the big boy's now! Every elite Death Korps team get their very own _personal_ bullhead pilot plus their instructor! This little lady will be ferrying us to and from the various _war zones, froze tundras, toxic wastelands_ , and every other various hell hole Remnant has to offer!"

She said as Jaune clicked the button.

"So you are our personal pilot?"

" _Sure am! Name's Kiriko! Nice to meet you Jaune! I look forward to delivering you and team ARKM to this and many more mission in the future!"_

The happy go lucky voice said as Juawn turned to Uzepi who took her _Vox_ backs she pulled out her scroll.

"Ok Boys and girls listen up, this is not a complicated mission so let's stick to the basics all right? Simple smash and grab so about _two_ days will work out."

She said switching to her scroll as Jaune blinked thrice.

"Two days? Two days for what-

"You're right! Blondie I should have known! I'll make it _four!_ Just to be safe!"

"Four what?"

"Days until your collars explode! That's what!" Uzepi said as Jaune balked.

"Explode!? You are setting them to go off?!"

"Sure am! If this op goes sideways or you four go, rogue, I got to put my safety net in place. You understand right?'

"No! I don't! We won't' go rogue; we are elites!"

"You _are_ elites that; why I'm doing it! You are smarter than most of the common students here and a are a fair bit more dangerous! So I'm just making sure you know the score!"

"But the poison-

"The poison _helps!_ But this is _far_ more efficient. And hey nothing gets a group fo scare out fighting like seeing their friends heads blown off! You know?"

She as claimed as Jaune fumed at her and-

"Umm. Uzepi? We won't run so is that necessary?"  
Ruby said in a quiet voice as the woman turned to see her.

"Aww, Ruby! You are such a good girl! But I got to do this! It's not just because you won't turn tail and flee but mainly to serve as motivation!"

 _"Motivation?"_

"Yeah! If you know your life is on the line, you will work harder and be more likely to do that _extra_ step to keep your head on its shoulders."

Uzepi said as the girl sat back down as Jaune sighed.

"What are we going to do when we find the place? Just take whatever is not nailed to the ground?"

"More or less. We are to find any old world technology that is either A salvageable. Or B, and much _less_ likely still functional. If we find anything useful at the school will need to bring it back and if you find anything to be _personally_ useful to yourself."

"Feel free to keep in your pocket or cape. I won't object to a little battlefield _acquisition_ of sorts. So long as you do your job, I'll turn a blind eye to any _extracurricular_ activities that you design to partake in."

"Are you saying that we can _loot_ from the battlefield."  
Jaune asked frowning as she nodded.

"So long as whatever you take is not what we are looking for, and is too small to be missed I don't _particularly_ mind if a few items are _misplaced._ '

The woman said calmly as Jaune looked at her curiously.

"You seem oddly relaxed for a Bastion teacher. Most of you are far more _strict_ when it comes down to students."

"Jaune! I am an _elite_ chaperone! I'm a field commander! I'm not one of those stuffy pencil pushers with no sense of humor! So long as you do what I say, keep each other alive and complete the mission with relative ease I don't care what you do in your free time. So long as you don't try to kill me, or threaten, our allies or threaten the mission I'm pretty _liberal."_

Uzepi said before pulling out a scroll and thumbing through it. As the ship roared silence as Jaune saw her face twist into a frown as she looked at her scroll.

"What's that?"

Jaune asked as the woman glared at her screen before responding in a brusque answer.

 _"Threat catalog."_  
Uzepi said not bothering to look up at Jaune as her hands flew across her scroll.

 _"Threat catalog?"_

"Yup! In her is all the enemies ti Rment that Bastion has encounter seen and fought. Be they Human, Grimm, faunus, terrestrial or even extraterrestrial in origin."  
She said holding up her scrolls Jaune balked.

"Did you say _extraterrestrial?"_

He asked disbelievingly as Uzepi nodded.

"Sure did I ki-  
"Like aliens?!"

Ruby asked eyes shining like an excited child as Uzepi nodded.

"Yes and no. While we do look out for any and all threats, we have only come into contact with one threat to Remnant that was extraterrestrial in origin. That was not a meteorite from space that is."

"And that would be?"

Jaune asked as she flicked her scroll.

"See for yourself blondie. I just sent you a file of it."

She said as Jaune's scroll flashed as he saw bright, bold letters pop up on it.

 **Warning. Information classified for Bastion instructors only.**

It said as the boy raised a curious eyebrow.

" _Confidential?_ Should I even be seeing this?"

"Officially? No. But I was never one to follow the rules, so they have some fun. I'm not Heil mainly because I believe the more we tell our field commanders, the better they can respond and handle any situation that comes in the field do read up.'

Uzepi said as Jaune opened the file.

 **Classified Bastion communication regarding the Pavlova passes incident. Otherwise, know as the _XK-1335-JC_ incident. Addendum. Approximately four years ago to this day a meteor crashed in the small isolated village of- _Name Redacted_ \- in the northern parts of - _Location_ _Redacted-._**

The transmission began as Jaune began to read into it.

 **The meteor that crashed into - _Name Redacted-_ carried with it a strange type of life form. Now know and cataloged as a virus that was extraterrestrial in origin. This virus spread through town of- _Name Redacted_ \- at a rapid pace, as it showed the disturbing propensity to forcibly attack and _assimilate_ all organic life into itself. The virus would infect an individual through fluid contact and would begin to assimilate the host body into itself. Converting the host's biomass into more of the virus. Along with being able to rapidly spread throughout any organic vectors be they birds, deer mice, etc. The infected organism shows the disturbing ability to perform rapid and on-demand mutation of thier host body.**

 _The fuck is this!?_ Jaune thought as he gripped his scroll as he began to see what the hell he was reading.

 **They were often reports of infect individuals limbs turning into razor sharp blades. That has been seen to be able to stretch over twenty meters in length and slice through reinforced metal. The number of mutations it was capable of is not limited to this, and the creature could continually mutate and change itself to more merely infect other life or defend itself.**

 **As reports came in the virus were almost immune to conventional weapons. It's a bit to dived and replicated itself practically immunized it against traditional weapons, and only intense heat seemed to be able to destroy it.** **As such flamethrowers and energy weapons are recommended to deal with any encounters with - _Redacted_ -. And only weapons that can produce a high level of heat could destroy it.**

 **Addendum. It is not known if the virus has a preference in the things it infects. But it is known that the virus does seem to prefer _higher_ life forms such as humans and faunus to infect rather just anything. And it has been showed to be able to _mimic_ the intelligence of its victims.**

 **The extent of this power is unknown, but thankfully the virus was only able to mimic the intelligence _not_ take it for itself. The virus will attempt to learn the language customs, and any other social norms to spread itself, at current vector analysis if the virus was ever able to reach a major population in the entire world would be assimilated in less than seventy thousand hours after intail exposure.**

 **Luckily the virus code-named- _Name Redacted-_** **Was perfectly contained and destroyed in - _Name Redacted_ \- by Bastion fourth year tame - _Name Redacted-_ and despite losing ninety percent of its members the virus was burned from the map.**

 ** _Warning._ When infecting a human and or faunus, the infected individuals will not always paper to be infected. They will wait and blend into society before making a move, and they will not even appear to be any different from normal humans, so detection in the filed without _advanced_ medical equipment is nigh impossible without this _improvised_ yet highly effective method. **

**If you suspect that there is an infected individual amongst you, there is a simple test you can perform to determine if they are or are not infected. First, you will need a small Petrie dish or a metal bowl of some sorts. Second, you will need a sharp object to cut people with.**

 **Third, you will need a hot flame or if available a flamethrower. If you have a flamethrower have it on standby with either you are a trusted friend who you know to be clean armed with it. You will then gather blood from the people are around you individually. Collecting the blood in the Petrie dish the begin to heat the metal you used to gather it with a pilot light and or other heat source and stab the accumulated blood with it.**

 **You see it was shown by team leader - _Name Redacted-_ after combating and eventually triumphing over the virus, it was proven that every part of the virus is its own independent entity all working to better spread itself. You will gather then _heat_ up the blood. If an infected blood sample is heated to it will leap int the air to avoid the flames, if that happens the burn the infected individual for safety. Repeat as necessary."**

"The hell!? An alien virus that _assimilates_ people?"

Jaune asked his face blanched as Uzepi nodded gravely.

"Sure was. Fucking hell kid, you should have been there. I'm just glad we clean that mess up before it spread."

The woman said shaking her head in a disconcerting fashion as Jaune gulped.

"Did... did you see it?"

He asked as up let out a low laugh.

"Up close? _No_. I was lucky with that. I was only on clean-up duty back then. I only saw the aftermath but man. Let me tell you kid it was _ugly."_

The woman said with a voice that could cut steel as he ground her teeth.

"When we got there it was a hell hole. The town was in smoke. The entire area was covered in ash. There... were... these.. _amalgamations_ of bodies. Broken twitching pile of flesh transformed into hideous deformed stretchy things. I saw entire blocks full of burning charred flesh, as the horrible Hodgepodge of flesh fille the street.

"What... what was the virus? Really."

"It was just that kid. A virus from _beyond._ It landed in a small town and for two weeks _nothing._ Not a damn thing wrong then the whole town goes dark for a few weeks. No com traffic no nothing. Then it comes back on the grid. The town comes alive and is requesting help with a _Grimm issue._ Luckily there was a Bastion team in route returning from a mission. They went to investigate and landed in a nightmare."

"What happened to the team?"

Ruby asked her face paled as Jaune saw the naked worry on her face as she grimaced.

 _"Wiped out_. Only thier leader survived. The mad bastard practically burned every living thing in a ten-mile radius with a homemade a flamethrower. He watched his team butchers as humans turned into monsters and converted his teammates. When we found him, he was half mad laughing his ass of and paranoid to all hell."

"Has there been any more cases of infection?"

"Luckily _no_ blondie. We got lucky there so far there has been no further cases of that thing yet." She said as Jaune frowned.

"But it came from space. There's not tell how many of those things could be out there! Or how many of them might come here-

 _"Easy!_ Easy there kid! It came on a meteor, so we are guessing it's not a damn species living in the damn void. And we are watching the sky for any such anomalies so you can rest easy ok? We got this."

Uzepi said as she leaned back in her chair as Jaune felt added sen of palpable terror reached into his heart and gripped his soul as the ship roared into the air.

* * *

"Ok boys and girls! It's _go_ time!"

Uzepi said as the bullhead roared over the drop zone as the hatch lower as blinding daylight filled the cabin.

"Team ARKM! Go!"

Jaune said as his team slid off the hovering craft on depending plastic cables. As they fell off the ship, descend two by two by one.

As Jaune and Kage landed first, followed by Ruby and Mika and finally their leader. Uzepi landed as the voice of their people come over the speaker.

" _Ok! I'll be back in two hours or evac! Good luck!"_

Kiriko said as the craft pivoted and flew off as Jaune squinted to see past the now deep blue sky as he hard Uzepi laugh.

"Alright, kids! You know the drill. We are looking for anything shiny that looks like it's still in good order. Take whatever you can carry and mark down thing that you can not. Knowing this place? It won't be hard to find.

Uzepi said as Jaune nodded. As his vision cleared he finally saw their location and gasped. It was a city. A massive, sprawling city. At least mile long and wide as Jaune was stand in the middle of an abandoned street with team ARKM and Uzpei around him as he turned his head.

She was right about finding shiny things being easy. The building mainly massive towering dilapidated skyscrapers were old and failed. Once shiny metal and polished rock, now broken cracked things. With an unhealthy brown coating on the as massive vines came from the base of the build to the top. Giving it a strangely organic nature. Like some massive organic jungle of rock and plants as Jaune looked around the city, it felt _wrong._

Jaune didn't know how to say it but this enter city just felt _off_. And it wasn't the massive crumbling skyscrapers and bombed out buildings that gave him this eerie feeling of uncertainty as he looked around the area as Uzepi spoke up.

"Ok! This is how it's going to go down! _Kage! Rose!"_

" _Yes!?"_  
 _"Yo."_

"You two are a team. You will follow this route, and you will report back everything you find ok?'  
She asked as Ruby nodded and Kage shrugged as she turned to Jaune.

"Blondie! Mika! You and I are in the center! I'm getting power readings on my scroll that should not be here, and we are going to find out what the hell is going bump in the night."

She said as Jaune frowned at the woman as he opened his mouth to speak.  
"Why are we dividing up right now?"  
Jauena sked as the woman runner her bright purple eyes on him and grinned.

"Simple! I need you two with me, and those two work well together. We have a limited window of opportunity to search so let's get to it!"

She said as Jaune went to argue as Ruby stepped up.

"Don't worry about me Jaune. I'll be fine. I'm with Kage so I"ll be ok!"

Ruby said as Kage nodded.

"We got this _boss_. Just make sure you make it out ok, _k?"_

Kage asked as Jauen frowned.

"I don't like to, but I guess so."

Jaune said not comfortable with splitting up with his teammates as Uzepi nodded as Kage and Ruby received their scroll coordinates as Jaune, and his group turned as one to march down the broken cracked vine covered asphalt of the city Jaune paused as he scratched his ear.

Piano? Jaune thought as he paused briefly as he swore he heard the thin ghostly melody of a piano playing from somewhere as the three made their way into the city.

* * *

"Kage? What do _you_ think we are doing here?"

Ruby asked as the two marched on the thin shaky and in Ruby's opinion _dangerously_ fragile metal grates. That leads down to the black bottomless void of nothingness so deep that not even her eye could see too far into it as the two teens walked with Kage in the lead as he read his scroll.

 _"We_. Are going to look for anything shiny and steal whenever is not bolted down. And unbolt the things that are. So we can steal them later."

Kage said as his boots clinked! On the metal grates as he looked at his scroll. He and Ruby had been walking for well over an hour now, and thier path had led them into a dark subterranean area. Kage initially had super out some type of above train tunnel, and now he was convinced to be some ancient maintenance shaft.

As he and the young girl walked single file along with a long metal catwalk. That stretched over a yawning black maw that was a void in the earth.

Kage had no idea what the hell was down that hole, but he had no reason or intention to find out. As the two marched in relative quiet.

"What are we going to do when we find them?"

Ruby asked holding _Crescent Rose_ close to her chest as the boy looked forward. His hard brown eyes staring ahead as he looked down this scroll.

"We will find what we can carry take that back to the bullhead. We will then mark the things we can't take back. And! If we are lucky we can take whatever we need to take for us."

Kage said as he flicked the direction from his scroll to her own. As her scroll beeped! In confirmation as she got the message.  
As the girl got her message much, to her relief they exited the catwalk to a landing on the other side of the cavern.

As they stepped of Ruby was relieved to be on solid ground once again as Kage went to a large moss covered door that he yanked, of its hinges as a shining light came through Ruby followed him though.

"Come on Red."

He said as he and Ruby stepped into a low cavernous room. As they step in it was thanks to her eyes enhanced sight and analysis clear to Ruby that this was some type of ancient factory of some sorts. Long rust covered assembly lines filled the room. With massive broken down machines.

That if Ruby was to guess. And her eye was to be believed meant that this was an old assembly line that had fallen into disrepair some hundreds of years ago and-  
"Kage? Where are you going?"  
Ruby asked as Kage made the opposite turn to where their scroll indicated path dictated them to go as the boy pause once as he turned around to her.

"I'm going that way."

kage said as he pointed to the opposite direction to the path, as he leads them in a way that leads them not outside of the factory where the broken ceiling let in a sing ray of sunlight that illuminated the seeming miles of rust covered assembly lines and broken mechanical constructs.

"But our mission says we should go _that_ way!"

"I know. That's why I'm going _this_ way."

He said as he pointed to an oddly maintained? Silver door. At the far end of the factory that looked like it was brand new and not part of a thousand years old factory as Ruby frowned.

"But! But what about the mission?"

"What about it?"

Kage asked simply as Ruby stomped her boot on the ground kicking up some of such as he coughed violently.

" **Warning! Hazardous material detected! High amounts of _led, rust, asbestos_ and several other hazards detected! Don't stomp like that again Ruby!"**

Her eye warned her as she coughed violently as she glared at her friend.

"Kage! We need to stick together!"

"Why?"

"So we can finish the mission!"

"We _are_ finishing this mission."

"But you are going the wrong way!"

"I am going the right way for _my_ mission."

He said as Ruby blinked at him owlishly.

"Your? What mission are you on?"

She asked innocently as Kage sighed.

"Red. Let's just say that I have some influential friends in Bastion. And now and then they want me to do thins on befie our relations ship. Mainly they want me to bring them things that the could not get any other way. And they have the nasty habit of being more than a bit perturbed if I am not able to bring them their prized back in one piece and-

 _KERRANG!_  
A loud clattering sound filled the air as fall metal box fell from somewhere. As Kage and Ruby both raised their guns, twin bolt pistols and sniper rifle scanning the still factory as Kage hissed.

"Red! What do you see!"

 _"Nothing._ I see no lifeforms in this room."

"Then what the hell made that box fall!?"

Kage asked his back up with Ruby as the two slowly but firmly made thier way to the door.

"I don't know, but my eye is not seeing anything."

She said her world dyed red as her eye attempted to see anything in the distance. So far it was nothing to be seen, as-  
 _"There!"_

Ruby shouted as she saw was a blur of black somewhere int he dark far of reaches of the factory floor as her eye detected movement.

"Something is in here with us!"

Ruby said grip her gun as she aimed it down the factory floor, as Kage clicked a button on his shoulder plate as small lens popped out with a click!  
As a small flood light came, form her armor as a sickly yellow light flashed out revival, even more, rows after rows of ancient rusting metal machines as he hissed.

"Dammit. Figures come with me Red; we can get out of here together.'

He said walking up the silver door as Ruby heard it beep! Loudly as he came to it as it slid open with a loud pneumatic hiss! Of steam as Ruby gulped

"Kage! That's not the right way!"

"For me it is."

"But if you go there I'll be alone!"

Ruby said not wanting to venture off the mission path. Especially with the threat of death looming over her shoulders. Literally. As her explosive collar was fit tightly onto her neck.

"Well then come with me."

Kage said as Ruby frowned once before nodding as she held up her gun scythe and began to walk behind them.

"Ther now-

Kage froze as eh hear it. A voice was in his ear. Whispering softly flowing into his mind like a spring breeze as he heard music?

 _"~I'm just walking with a gohst. And I say walking by my side. My soul is dancing on my chest..._

The voice said as Kage blinked twice. The hell was that? He thought shaking his head as he and Ruby walked into the room leading down to those swirling shadows, which came ever closer to them encroaching on the humans with a steadily encroaching advance. As the two went to the door leaving the factory floor alone...

* * *

" _~Every day is just the same. And I don't know what to do.~"_

"Do you hear that?"

Jaune asked as he and his team made their way through the city.

"Sure do blondie. Sure do."

Uzepi said her light flak jacket absorbing the pounding daylight of the sun as she wiped her for her, her massive muscled arms glisten in sweat as the three of them walked their way into the city.

"I like music! I think we are lucky!"

Mika said happily skipping along broken, cracked city streets as Jaune frowned.

Mika's energy was nice, but it was misplaced. They had been walking for the better part of three hours now, and so far they had found nothing. The city was dead, utterly and completely abandoned and forgotten. Cold and dead city streets lined the area.

With severely rusted buildings, cars, and just about every other things, you could expect to see in a city. As they inspected building filled with vines, the massive growth of plant life infected the city. With roots large than bullheads and reaching up well over thirty stories into the air that defied all explanation as they moved into the abandoned city.

The city was so quiet so ghostly and unearthly still in a way that bothered Jaune to his very core. The city was silent. No more than that it was _still._ Utterly and completely still. The air was heavy and dense. Filled with a complete silence as Jaune noticed that despite the massive vegetation there was no discernable animal life to the city.  
And the entire city was dead quiet, will it would have been without the music...  
 _"~My soul is jarring on my vest.~"_

The same ethereal music that crept into his head as Jaune heard the sounds in his ear as Uzepi called up a hand to stop.

 _"Halt!_ Looks like we got something here."  
Uzepi said as she stopped in front of what looked like a large silver door? That propped up from the ground. It was over fifteen feet high and ten feet wide.

And there was a massic skull and _cogwheel?_ Adorned on the door as Mika smiled happily.

"Yay! We found something! What did we find?"  
The perpetually happy girl said as Uzepi narrowed her eyes.

"No idea. But it looks like we found something interesting."  
The woman said as Jaune walked over to the door and-  
 _"Boss! Boss comes in Boss! We got problems!"_

A voice suddenly shouted breaking the silence as the ancient voice of Kage came over the scroll as Jaune yank his form his pocket.

"Kage?! Kage?! What's wrong!"

Jaune shouted aa the normally calm boy was nice not he another end of the scroll. If Kage was panicking, that means.

Jaune thought as the boy began to speak.

 _"Grimm! Everywhere! We are outnumbered and-_

 _BANG! BANG!_

The sound of raging battle spilled from the other side of the scroll. As the harsh Bangs! Of Kage's bolt pistols followed by the sharp Crack! Of Crescent Rose as Jaune heard Ruby's weapon fired as he heard her voice.

 _"Kage! Ther's too many of them!"_

Ruby cried out as Kage swore.  
 _"Dammit! Don't let them get around us! Back to back!"_

Kage shouted as Uzepi yanked the scroll from his hand as she began to back into it.

"Kage. This is Uzpe what your sitrep? Now!"

 _"Boss! We are surrounded! We got Grimm pour from the walls and-_

A Monstrous roar came over the scroll as Kage swore.  
 _"Oh hell! Red! We got to go! Now!"_

"Kage?! What the hell is that thing!?"

 _"Hell if I know but it needs to die! Aim for its head!"_  
 _Crack!_  
 _"It's not going down!"_  
 _"Keep shooting!"_

Kage yelled as the scroll's speakers were filled with gunfire and roars as a battle raged onward.

 _"Kage?! Rose?!_ Fuck! Ok life just got a bit complicated!"

"What the hell is going on!? What's attacking them?"

Jaune shouted as Uzepi sighed.

"No idea blondie. But we are lucky enough to be close. Where ever the hell they are it's almost right behind this door."

She said point to the large silver door with the skull and cogwheel on it as Jauen gulped as he gripped his sword as Mika sighed.

"Why do they get to have all the fun?"  
She com; and as the Uzepi walked up tot he for holding our something small and white? In her hand, as the door began to beep...

* * *

"Kage? What... What _is_ this place?"  
Ruby asked as she looked around. She was sure by a shining white room. At compete, odds with the rests of the dilapidated building.

The wall made of pure silver and the air was inhumanly clean. As she and Kage walked side by side the oddly not rusting hallways of wherever they where.

"This Ruby is why I am here."

Kage said pointing to the impact whit hallways, lit by underground light as Ruby gulped.

"What do you mean why you are here?"  
She asked as she saw that a sliding silver door open as the entered a less pristine room.

This room was more like the original factory floor. Covered in a dingy red light, flooding the room that was filled with rusty metal and ancient metal as the two walked inside.

"Red. Have you ever heard of an _S.T.C.?"_

 _"STC?_ What's that?"

Ruby asked as the boy sighed.

 _"Standard. Template Construction._ Basically, imagine the blueprint to end all others, and you get a basic idea of what I'm looking for."

"So you are looking for the blueprints to something?"

"Sure am Red, I-

Kage froze as he and Ruby saw a blur of black somewhere in the pitch black ceiling as Kage narrowed his eyebrows to the ceiling.

"Kage? Do you see-

 _"Down!"_

Kage yelled firing his pistol.  
 _Bang!_

A gun went off as mass reactive round fire out blind the air with a lush of ell and the acrid smell of gunpowder as something. Exploded in a red mist.

As the thing, that and lunge for Ruby vanished in a puff of blood.

"Kage!? What was-

"Red! Above us!"

Kage shouted a Ruby looked up and gasped as the air left her lungs as she gripped her scythe. There were tens, dozens no hundreds! Of glaring yellow eyes looking down on her as the first figure fell onto them.

Were these things Grimm? She thought as the large chitinous things fell from the ceiling. They stood over six feet tall and walked on two feet. They had six large arms with razor-sharp claws attached to themselves. They held no fur and thier skin was a thin sickly yellow. Almost translucent as Ruby could make out shifting organs and flowing blood on the insides of them. As thier six leering yellow eyes glared as they hissed at them.

But -  
 _"No mask?"_

Ruby asked out loud as she saw six sickly beady yellow eyes regarding her as the monster mouth open revealing row after row of razor-sharp teeth as a long serpentine-like tongue slithered out and-

 _"Down!"_

Kage yelled as Ruby ducked hitting the floor in an instant as twin _Bangs!_ Came from behind her as Kage fired on the things that stood in front of her.

As he fired Ruy kept up to her feet guns blazing.  
 _Crack!_

 _Crescent Rose_ fired again and again. Each round blowing the head off a monster as she shot into them as the beast blew apart and became a messy red stain on the dusty floor. Dying the already red floor a darker stain of red as Ruby whipped out her scythe.

In one moment she went form a shocked ball of red on the flor into a real whirlwind of death and destruction. As she turned the are into a messy whirlwind of blood and bones.

She smiled as her scythe's blade cut whatever the hell these things were easy enough, as more and more of the things fell into her human made blender and-

 **"RUN!"**

Hey, eye suddenly yelled as it saw the end. Ruby was surrounded the high that fell were far too numerous to be killed all once. As she ducked into a ball. Poeirn forward into Kage. Using him as a shield to cover her retreat as Kage slammed a fist into a door as a shape hiss!

Filled the air as a door opened as Ruby dove past it as Kage fire twice more it not the enemy. Blowing them apr tin large bloody burst of interest and bone. As he quickly ducked into the room before smashing small panel as the things slammed into the door.

As the monsters roared from behind it. As the door bucked under the weight of their talons as they attacked it, Kage sighed in victory as Ruby screamed.

"What the hell Kage?! What were those things!?"

Ruby asked as Kage looked up at her as he smiled.

"No idea. But it looks like I found my payday."

He said as his scroll beeped! In a rapid fashion as Kage walked up to his mission objective.

As he walked out the pristine silver floor of the small room a grin crept across his face as he put away his guns. age had no idea why the hell the Bastion Mechanic sent his ass on this mission. Or why they needed whatever the hell was in this room located tow mile underground, but he was not paid to ask questions.

And what Crawl said went. Whatever Belasarius wanted he got simple as that. Kage thoguht as he walked up to what looked like twin metal pods?

Of all thing as he held up his scroll and-

" _Maintenance refit initiated. Please hold still."_

A dull mechanical voice as he blinked owlishly.

"Kage? What's going on?"  
Ruby asked a pod hissed! Open as some filled the air as the boy frowned.

"I don't know-  
 _'OW!?"_

Kage yelped as twin mechanic arms shot of the pod grip his arm hold theme part like a cross as he began to curse.

"The hell!?"

He yelled out loud as the arms held him in mid-air yanking him off the ground as Ruby recoiled.

"Kage?! Are you ok!?"

"I don't know! I-

Kage was interrupted s another pair of arms came out as a blue flame!? Popped out of one as it touched his armor and began to slice it off.

"The hell!? Ruby! I could use some help here!"

Kage shouted as the mechanical arms began slicing off his armor as Ruby baled

"Don't worry Kage! I'm on my way-  
 _WHAM!_

A door on the far side of the room blew open as a mob of the things came in from the side as Kage swore.

"Oh, you got to be _shitting_ me!"

Kage shouted as he felt his arm ripped off from his body grimace as the MasterCraft had made artisan armor was taken from him as Ruby blurted into a fight.

"I'll protect you!"

The young girl said as loud _cracks!_ Filled the air as she began firing against the tide of beady yellow eyes as the loud _cracks_! Of _Crescent Rose_ filled the area as she began firing into the hoard as head broke apart in a brutal shower of red and white.  
As she made pinpricks into the horde and-

 _"Stage one complete."_  
The mechanical voice said as it dropped Kage to the ground. As he saw his armor was ripped from his body. And he was now stipped to nothing but a thin black jumpsuit and a pair of the black short as he swore loudly picking up his guns as he turned to face the horde.

"Dammit! Red I'm here!"

He yelled firing into the hood offer a moment of relief to the beleaguered reaper who was getting swarmed by a mass of claws and talons. As he won be apart Grimm? Kage wondered as the high and did not look like Grimm.

For on no masks, two their eyes were yellow, not red. And three their bodies stayed when they died. They did not dissipate as they screamed and squealed in terrible cries of agony as they were blown apart but he hunts weapons as Kage knew it was pointless.

Ruby and his weapon were both meant to take down tough highly armored or high-value targets. His bolt pistol could break apart the toughest armor breaking its part in one shot. And her gun could snipe the head from an enemy miles away.

Both good weapons. But _none_ made to deal with a literal horde of weaker enemies as Kage swore

"Goddammit!"

He yelled firing his gun s fast as humanly possible. His fingers flying on his triggers as he blasted part the horde om abominations. As he departs reloaded his guns, the eighteen round magazine evaporating like water on the sand in his homeland.

As the Vacuoan boy fired another voice filled his ear.

 _"Phase one complete Initiating phase two refitting."_

The voice said as Kage felt a long metal hand grip his waist as he was yanked from his foot and pulled into the pod.

"Fuck m-

He cried before being yanked into the pod as a flashing white light filled the pod.

 _"Kage?! Kage!?_ Are you _ok?!"_

Ruby asked firing her magazine into the mod of following things, as she began backpedaling as the monsters came from the door in a flood of screaming voice and hissing jaws as Ruby began to panic.

The came in the droves, skittering on the floor and up the walls. Their long talons traversing the ground like it was nothing. Clambering up the walls as her eye yelled to her.

 **"Ruby! We need to run!** "

 _"NO!_ I won't leave Kage!"

 **"Ruby we are surrounded! There and hundreds of them coming from that hole and** -

Her eye was interrupted one the most leaped onto her boring her down its terrible halitosis filled her nostrils with a vomit inducing smell of breath, as she held the thing six beady eyes leering at her as its slither tongue carries her face making her want to vomit.

 _"Get off!"_

She yelled as pushed her gun under its head and _crack!_ Its head blew off in a shower of offal as Ruby kicked the thing that was not in her mind not a Grimm back away. As its body did not disintegrate as several more came. They came at Ruby form all sides as the girl began to desperately fire into them.

They came like a tsunami of hissing mouths and chittering limbs, flooding over the walls and skittering towards her, making the girl fire her gun wild into them each shot hitting one and each shot killing one. Tearing them in two ripping thier bodies apart in bloody _pops!_ Of offal and bone and-

 _"AHH!"_

Ruby cried as on monster slammed into her, sweeping her leg making her lose balance. As two more monster carried her to the floor. As the creatures beg to be her do as awful hot brath fill her face multi taloned claws gripped her flesh as a tongue slithered over her neck-

 _VRTTTTT!_

All at once it was over. As the thing vanished in a cloud of blood

 _VRTTTTTT!_

The sound of gunfire filled the air as the monsters exploded. It was like someone took a garden hose made of blood and poured it across the room. Spraying the eating with an impressive amount of firepower. As Ruby saw heavy caliber rounds tore apart the monster as the horde of monstrosities were blown apart in a shower of gore.

As Ruby blinked in awe, her bloody vis turned to see what or who had saved her.  
As she saw Kage?! Stand in a brand new silver suit of armor. His old armor was gone and replaced with a new armor. As she saw his new armor was a bright silver paint as she saw a massive multi-barreled assault cannon underslung to his left arm.

As his right fist was encased in a glittering field of blue energy. Filling the air with the harsh antic smell of ozone as he fired into the Grimm. Stopping the flood of monsters with a literal wall of led as he gunned down the enemy with a wicked smile on his lips as he found his objective.

As the boy fired into the horde of enemies as he annihilated the enemy. I did it! I really did it! Kage thought to himself as he destroyed the abominations. This was it! This made sense! This was why that mad star Crawl wanted him to see! As the last of the monsters were blown apart in showers of gore as the massive caliber rounds impacted them blowing them apart in a moment as he grinned.

 _Power armor_! T _hat made sense! That was why they wanted him to get this so bad! Power armor was a myth! A fairly tall you tell your kids at night! To most of Remnant it was barely a myth and by some arcane methods, they had found a gold mine of the stuff along with the holy grail her self!_

An _S.T.C._ for it! Kage thought a large octagon appeared out of his pod as it flashed silver as it hovered in mid-air suspended b some archaic technology and-

"Kage?! What's going on!? Where did you get that suit!? What's happening?! What is that thing hovering in mid-air-

"Ruby. Time for answers later. Just take the octagon and hold on to it for dear life. If we lose that thing, we are both died."

Kage said as Ruby gulped. Taking the S.T.C. from the air as she took the priceless device from him as he grinned savagely.

"Ruby that is what makes out mission here worth a _damn!"_

Kage yelled in a rare infection of emotion. As another fresh wave of monsters came into the room making him smile as he raised the assault cannon and fired.

* * *

"What the hell are these things?!"

Jaune shouted as he slashed into the throat of these things that had attacked them. As he shield bashed one of the abominations as Uzepi cursed out loud.

"No idea! But they are ugly!"

Uzepi said her small pistol flashing purple. As she fired a purple bolt of energy into the enemy her energy round blowing apart their skulls. As she held a defensive stance as Jaune slashed part of the chest of the leering monstrosity in front of him. As he cut apart the thin translucent neck of one slicing open its throat and spilling its bright red blood as it hissed pathticlly as it died a terrifying _FWOOSH!_

Filled the air as Mika fired her flamer into the hard grinning like a mad woman, a pair of green goggles slid over her eyes as she laughed manically as she made a cordon of fire onto the _church_ they were, in.

Yes, church, Jaune had no other way to describe the place, they were in a _church_. A _massive_ church that stretched well over ten stories high and half that as long. As the three of them fought back to back on top of a small inkling of red stepped in front of the altar, as almost a mile of broken wooden pews, broken vases and cracked concrete stood between them and the _horde_ as they fought for the lives.

"Uzepi! Where are Ruby and Kage!"

Jaune asked as the woman fired thrice into in enemy horde smiting the creatures that had swarmed them as soon as they went underground driving them deeper into the complex tunnel network of the underground area as she fired at them.

"They are somewhere close! It looks like they are getting closer to us! So _that's_ good!"

She said as one monster leaped at her only for a searing purple bolt to pierce its head sending it skittering to the floor as she stomped on its head with a loud _KERSHT!_ Sound as she broke it' skull with her combat boots. Before raising her pistol and firing again into the horde.  
Killing another as she punched, the things head off in a shower of gore.

Turning it into a red stain as another creature leaped into her and sliced _open_ her arm. Making her cry out in pain as a long tri shaped gashed appeared on her being as she hissed once before shooting it in the face killing it in an instant.

"Your arm! You have no aura?!"

Jaune asked incredulously as he eviscerated the enemy in front of his, as the skitter talons ripped open the front of his armor. Ruining his heart-shaped chest plate tearing ti part like it was wet paper and not battle made metal. Making Jaune flinch and curse as he kicked the squirming beast away from him.

 _"Aura's for pussies!"_

She said firing twice into the ever-growing horde of things, which swarmed from the massive open doors that led them into the church or fell from the long impossible ceiling and-  
 _VRTTTT!_

A massive amount of the monsters _poppled!_ Into red mist as a glowing orange stream of bullets!? Slammed into them before there was a loud _WHACK!_

As Jaune lost his balance as a massive crashing filled the room as Jaune turned to see a silver bing? With a tiny girl in a red cape on its shoulders fell into the center of the church with them as Kage?! And Ruby landed in the center of the battler as making smiled

 _"Power armor?!_ Do I get some!?"

The girl asked haply roast a hard of Grimm as Uzepi balked.

"Kage?! What part of following the plan do you not understand!"

"The two following hte plan part. I guess."  
The boy said as Uzepi glared at him.

"You better ha damn good reason for going solo to hunt or else-

"I got an S.T.C."

Kage said as Uzepi's jaw dropped as for a moment her mouth hung criminally low before low girn split her face. "Well! It looks like we got a fight on our hands!"  
Uzepi said as the monsters fell from the sky landing down on them as the thing began to swarm them.

As they fought into the Maune took his place as a leader as he began o shout.

"Mika!"

"Yes _~boss man~!_ What' up!"

"I need a cordon of fire now! Don't let them get close and do not! Give them a surround!"

He shouted as Mika nodded happily

"Yes, sir! Mister _~Boss man~_ sir!"

The girl said before a loud _VATHOOM!_

Filled the air as the roar of flames filled the air followed by the harsh smell of ozone and the hard antic smell of chemical fire like burning plastic filled Jaune's nose as Mika began to laugh gleefully as the screams of the monsters filled his ears.

"I have no idea what the hell that thing is, or where the hell you got that gun but for now turn it on those things and buy us some time ok?"

Jaune yelled as Kage nodded.

"On it _boss!"_

He said before turning his gun to the horde as the weapon spooled before _VRTT!_

A hail of bullets came from tearing apart the monsters with brutal efficiency as Ruby ran up to him.

"Wha-

"Ruby! On the sides! There are still plenty of them on the walls! Keep them from getting a surround on us!"

Jaune shouted as she nodded her eye whing as the loud crack! Of Crescent Rose filled the air as Jaune turned to Uzepi.

 _"You!"_

 _"Me?_ You going to order me around blondie?"

"You brought us in here so _yes!_ Yes, I will order you! Help Ruby and keep them off the walls ok? I need you to help keep our asses alive ok?"

Jaune asked as the woman seemed to contemplate her answer before shrugging her shoulders.

"Sure! Why not! I could do with some fun!"

She said as Jaune nodded to her as she drew her energy pistol and began firing on the walls.

"That leaves the stragglers to me."

Jaune said as he began drawing his sword as some of the things clatter down from the walls. Avoiding Ruby and Uzepi's firing arc. As the fired severe half burning monsters stagger past the flames as he began to charge the first of them.

* * *

For the next foreseeable future all there was for the five humans was a world of fire, bullets, and blood as they fought for thier lives.

As Jaunce sliced and diced the monster that broke past their cordon. Hacking limbs from screaming leering faces. Slicing apart chitinous yellow plate exposing ropes of purple intestines and red blood. Covering himself with foul smelling ichor as he kicked back the dean enemies and charged the newer ones, there was work to do.

As he fought the cordon form, Mika did its job well. She made sure to set it up so that the enemy would try to be a break down the middle of the floor. As the endless stream of bullets from Kage's new assault cannon filled his ear.

Making the Grimm _burst!_ Into pools of blood and bone. As he laughed them apart. As he massacred the enemies, Ruby and Uzepi fired on the wall keeping them from being they fought ti was a battle of wills, stell, and flames., As still cut files, fire-charred bones, and bullets and energy tore apart the monstrosities at thier door.

As the five human fought tooth and nail not one step was given. Not one inch was given up as Jaune rally his team of him as the waves of enemies slammed into them as the monsters attacked them.

As the monsters attack it was a slaughter. Thye charged the line of ARKM, and they died in the scores. As flames ate flesh, bolts of yellow, purple and silver tore apart their bodies, and Jaune danced in the center. Carvin up any that got too close in a brilliant display of swordsmanship. Severing limbs from sockets and heads form necks as they fought.

The monsters despite their superior numbers. And sheer suicidal attacks were failing. The cordon Jaune set up was a masterful strategic move. And was tearing apart the monsters as soon as they arrived at the humans fought desperately it was _not_ an easy battle.

As Jaune ducked a swing talon similar to the one that har all but destroyed his chest armor before removing it from its arm and skewering the thing on its neck. Whatever these things were they paid no dee to thier own lives or the lives of others. As they fought with a simple pure desire to rip and tear. Time slowed down to a crawl for Jaune as he saw it. Everything mattered here. Their cordon had been backed down from the pews to the area _right_ before the altar.

As she desperately tried to put fresh flames on thier front securing it from enemy advance. Kage fired his massive cannon into the _things_ keeping them back as Uzepi and Ruby did what they could to take down the wall runners and

AN earthquake? Jaune thoguht as he swore and he _did!_ Fell an earthquake! As the ground began to shake? As the flor to r room e began to shake and rock as the entire chapel began to shake.

As Jaune turned around to see he froze in terror as he saw _it._ The massive metal door adorned with the titanic gear and skull bent, dented and _broke_ apart.

As massive dent appeared in it before it was _ripped_ open. Jaune froze as a pair of beady yellow yew more ap in it. As he froze as the massive door was the fun part, and it came out.

It was a mauve mother stand over four stories tall, stand on two massive legs the size of buildings. As it's massive six limbs monstrosity. It was made almost four stores tall and looked like one of the creatures he fought but more massive as it's six beady eyes looked down at them with baleful hatred as Uzeip cried out.  
 _"Patriarch!"_

She yelled pointing at the thing as the monster opened its mouth, and it roared...

* * *

 **AN. There we go! Another day another new Bastion! This time we get some new toys, a reference to one of the best movies ever! And a bit of tease for the future. The story is heating up and the next chapter is the patriarch fight so until then! Finals are coming up sadly so I'm going to be focused on them for the next week. In fact, I'm going to be writing Game on after this, but if I have nothing published by Sunday I won't publish anything for about a week so sorry. Until next time! Omake.**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant part twelve. Who are you? And why do you have a gun?_**

"Inquisitor?"

Jaune asked as his face paled as all blood left his veins as he mentally screamed. _An inquisitor!? An inquisitor!? Here?! Of all places! Oum Dammit why me?!_ Jaune thought to himself as he _forced_ his jaw to stay upright as the Chimera lurched away from whatever the hell warzone the inquest had undoubtedly created as he sighed.

"Inquisitor? _Really_? The jump form gala singer to inquisitor must have been quite the transition. Ren, I thought the investor int he system was a rogue trader?"

Jaune asked his second who was busy cradling the by now seemingly catatonic cat faunus with pale skin and an adorable pair of cat ears as he nodded.

"My apologies sir. I believed that the rogue trader was the inquisitor. I will do better in the future."

"It's no problem, inquisitor is not that hard to spot usually. Epically when they are this beautiful."

Jaune said taking the redheads hand resorting to charm to keep his head on his shoulders as the woman cocked her head to him.

"You are Jaune Arc? The here or Remnant I presume?"

"I really hate that name you know? I'm not a here just some ordinary guy! You know? And you are probably just an ordinary inquisitor like all the rest of them."

Jaune said as the red-headed beauty coughed once as the green haired woman glared.

"How dare you! Do you know who you are talking to!? That is-

"Emerald."

The woman said as Jaune _swore_ he saw her blushing!? But that would mean that an inquisitor had emotions which Jaune had on good authority that they did _not_. As the woman blushed? As she waved her down.

"Yes, Mam. Be lucky creatin you are big spared-

 _"Hey!_ I thought I said don't talk to the commissar like that? What are you hard of hearing? Did all your ms go to your chest or something?"

Mercury asked tapping the barrel of his sniper rifle to her head as she fumed as she turned bright red.

"What?! Why I never! You take that back this instant!"

"Or what?"

"Or what?! Or...

Emerald began before Pyrrha? Calmed her down.

"Enough Emerald we are not here to make enemies. And Blake needs help."

She said pointing to the cat faunus now called _Blake?_ As she whined pathiclly as Pyrrha looked up at Jaune with a hungry look as she nodded her head.

"My my. Mister Arc I am impressed."

She said in a melodic voice as Jaune felt his hands go for his weapons.  
"Oh? Why is that?"

He asked in his best poker face ass he smiled at him.

"Well for one I see you reaching for your weapons that is bold of you, and two. Your subordinates even after I revealed what I have yet to lower theirs. You train your soldiers well and you inspire your men Jaune. I am looking forward to _working_ for you in the forseable future and-

"Oh Oum. She's got another crush."

The moch skinned beauty sighed as Pyrrha? Blushed a shade of scarlet to match her hair color.  
"Emerald! Stop that!"

Pyrrha saida s Jaune sighed. A random inquistior, an unconscious faunus, a unit divided, a technophile incursion and a full-blown planetary civl war to deal with? He was going to need more tea and he was going to need it _fast._


	29. Pillar one Loss

**_AN:_ Here it is! More Bastion! More fighting! In this chapter, we see team ARKM plus thier chaperone battle the patriarch! And we get a hint of the rapid pace this fic is about to pick up and its going to get rough! So buckle up! This starts heavy and won't let up so here we go! Let's get a _fight!_**

* * *

 _"Patriarch!"_

Uzepi shouted at the top her lungs as the looming abomination finally with a tremendous effort, and with a horrible screeching sound tore apart the massive metal doors barring its path. Ripping hem apart like they were made of cloth and not what had to be old wall forged metal as it lumbered into view.

It was even more massive and terrible than Jaune thought. As the massive abomination lumbered into the church. _Thud!_ The enormous metal body heads were tossed to the side like they were mere twig as it's six massive arms flailed out. Each one was longer than a small building and thicker an entire bullhead. With six long obsidian claws each longer than a minivan at the end that looked like they could tear apart reinforced titanium.

As the monster looked down at Jaune, it's dozen searing gold eyes seemed to lock onto him as it's massive maw opened realign road after for of stalagmite teeth that seemed to be curly sharpened as a long serpentine tongue rolled out of its jaw. The about was even more massive up close. As Jaune saw what he thought to be a mere four stories tall abomination of nature was now closer to six stores at full height and-

"What the _hell_ is that thing!?"

Jaune shouted as the monster gave a deafening roar that sent him to his knees, with ringing ears and blurred tear stained vision as Uzepi cursed at the top of her lungs

"That's a _Patriarch!_ It's what we were sent here to _kill!"_

The woman yelled her purple eyes glared at the monster as she raised her pistol. She fired the time with share FSH! Soun filling the ria s the usually lethal purple energy bounced harmlessly of the monster hide as it bellowed again send team _ARKM_ and their chair to their knees as its massive chiton form began to lumber towards them.

 _"Oh shit! Not today!"_

Kage yelled turning to face the abomination in front of him as a leering jawline of horribly long teet glared down at the boy as he raised his Gatling cannon to face it.

 _VRRTTT!_ The cannon on his left spooled once as it began firing up at the monster as shells longer then his hand and thicker than his arm encased in a highly explosive shells tore into it's hide. Tearing apart the monsters upper chitinous armor making it scream in pain before-  
 _WHAM!_

 _"AHH!"_

Kage screamed at the top of his lungs as faster than a bullet. The monster slashed down at him. As talons, the size of minivans attached to an arm longer than most buildings tore down at him with the force of a meteor. As the massive dark obsidian claw met power armor master crafted by ancient armorsmiths, in a battle of technology versus nature. The biological versus the _pinnacle!_ Of year after year of human warfare, the accumulation of humanities desires to not only survive but _overcome_ its challenges! And was torn apart like _wet paper._

 _"GYAH!?"_

Kage cried out in equal parts pain and shock as his armor was ripped neatly in half, torn apart like a can of dog food and rendered useless as three massive claw marks appeared on his right leg before _pop!_  
His aura _popped_ and broke as his semblance kicked in and failed, as three massive bleeding gashes appeared on his right leg followed by three more in his chest. Tearing long ugly slashes along his upper body making him cough up blood as he stumbled out of his now ruined power armor. Flailing onto the shattered alter ground coughing up blood and bleeding all over the ground.

 _"Kage?!"_

Mika cried a hint of real worry in her voice as she saw her friend mauled by the monster as he pulled out his bolt pistols.

 _BANG! BANG!_

He fired two rounds that merely _bounced_ off the monsters chitinous skin as it roared again.

"Take _this!"_

Uzepi yelled reaching int her back and flung a small grey satchel at the thing, which latched on its face and-

 _BANG!_

A terrible explosion rocked the things body as the satchel charge detonated making the monster tettered once appeared to be about to topple over. Before righting itself with a massive bellow that made team ARKM's ears bleed as it fought it's way back. Its massive legs bending and scraping the metal they stood on and-

 _"Form up!_ Do not get distracted!"

Jaune yelled taking out his sword as it happened. The flaming cordon they had already so desperately made and tired of defending was failing. As more of the minor abominations ran past Mika's flaming cordon and-

 _"~Boss man~!_ Kage is hurt! I-

"I know he's hurt! Mika if you don't keep up the pressure on them then we are all going to die! And that means Kage to!"

Jaune shouted another creature half on fire hopped out of the flame and ran for him. Six long leering chitons arms that glowed a sickly yellow on the firelight looming out. As Jaune snarled striking out with _Crocea Mors_ and running the thing through with its own weight and momentum.

Allowing it to gut itself as he kicked it's still warm corpse off of him as-

 _"Fall back! Fall back!"_

Uzepi said firing futilely into the patriarch as it roared slamming down a building size arm, tearing apart half the alter they stood on as it broke clean past a fire wall. Smashing the fire and allowing a tidal wave of lesser abominations to swarm forward to them.

"Where?! Where can we go!?"

Jaune shouted at her. Hacking and slashing the wave of monsters that now swarmed past the broken firewalls as he fell back into this team. Gutting and dismembering any monster that got to close to him and-

"Give me some time and I'll et us all out of here!"

The woman yelled as Jaune swore.

"We don't have time! We are all out of t _ime!"_

"Then _make_ some time!"

Uzepi yelled falling to one knee and pulling out a small brown package as Jaune swore. The battle was _lost._ That was clear as day. The cordon was broken and shot to all hell. The monsters slashing attack had broken past the firewall. Extinguishing one whole section of it allowing the tidal wave of lesser things to flood in.

As this happened, Mika was no longer busy establishing the cordon but helping Kage. Who was grimacing in pain bleeding out on the floor as she helped him up on one arm. As a wave of monsters closed in on them.  
 _Crack!_

The hard shots of _Crescent Rose_ filled the air. As Ruby made a desperate attempt to kill both the massive abomination and holding back the horde of lesser things as the patriarch bellowed slamming down its enormous arm at the blur of a pest.

Crashing into the ground and barely missing Ruby and Jaune. Not squishing them into red past as dozen of lesser monsters swarmed the area as the bigger one raise a mighty clawed hand to smite Jaune where he stood _it_ happened.

 _"~I have short hair! And am faced with a few complications so if you know man!~"_

That eerie music that had once haunted him began to play in Jaune's head as he felt the _change._

 **Pain. Fear. Anger. Loss. Grief. Soor. Hatred.** All burning in Jaune's chest as he glared at the enemy. Time stopped and slowed to a complete still as the monster roared a silent roar. As all feeling left his body, as the roar fell on deaf ears as time fell to the wayside as Jaune glared at it as the beast slammed down, it's hand down with the power of a freight train as Jaune felt _it._

 _KERSHT!_

 _Thud!_

A sound of metal cutting bone and the burning flesh filled the air as the monster cried out as one of it's titanic hands was cut _off._  
 _FISHT!_ Bright red blood sprayed out from the monsters severed limb as Jaune sliced it clean off. As Jaune looked in shock as the reeling monster crying in anguish as he saw it, a look of pure shock spread on Jaune face as he looked down to see his sword and it was glowing.  
 _"~ As the leaves fall on the ground my soul is goin round n round and round!~"_ The song sand as Jaune looked to his sword and froze.

It was glowing a bright blue color as it seemed to literally _pulse_ with life as he looked to the screaming monster, the horde of lesser ones seemingly sensing the distress of their leader seem to swarm him as Jaune acted on _instinct._

Acting more on feeling than anything else, he held out a hand to the horde as he felt a _drain_ on his body. Like a battery that had its power ripped out of it as a small blue ball appeared in the palm of his hand. Hovering silently in mid-air before shooting out from his hand impacting straight into the center of the horde as it roared as-  
 _KERSHT!_

The sequels and screams of the horde filled his ears as the hoard cried out in torment. With terrifying shrikes and cries as the swarm was stopped dead in thier tracks as dozens upon dozens of glowing blue _javelins_ appeared out of the ground. Striking out from the floor and skewering the monsters where they stood. Turning them in macabre shishkabobs and-

 _"Jaune?!_ What the _hell_ is that!?"

Ruby asked firing into the lesser horde as those that avoided being turned into impaled ripped sunder corpse ran around them.

 _"~So if you dare! Break the spell-_

 _"Semblance_! He found his _semblance!"_

Kage shouted as he fired into the towering abomination as he fired into twin enemies as Uzepi swore.

"I don't know what you are doing blondie but _keep_ doing it!"

She shouted as she fiddled around with what now looked like twin silver _beartraps?_ On the ground as-

 _"AH!"_

Jaune showed as a stealthier monster snuck up on him before _yanking_ the shield from his hand. Tossing it back across the room as-

 _THUD!_

 _"NO!"_

Jaune screamed at the top of his lungs as the things titanic leg smashed down on his shield. Sending it crashing into the depths of the church as Jaune felt his heart freeze and break as his the monster that ripped it from his glared at him.

As it lurched forward, its six long sinewy arms grasping forward as its long obsidian claws came to rip out his intestines, and plunge into his soft flesh-

 _"GERSHT!_

The monster cried as long glowing blue sword appeared in Jaune while handing as he ripped the thing in half. As Jaune blinked in surprise as he now held _twin_ swords in his arms. One made of hard metal the other made of an ethereal blue substance, which looked like his regular sword but with a corkscrew-like blade as it simmered and shook with raw power as Jaune grinned.

"Team _ARKM!_ Rally to me!

The boy said as the monsters renewed their attack as the humans found their fighting spirit. As the monsters swarmed Mika once again set up the flame cordon. Making it impossible for them to be surrounded. As Ruby and Kage once again worked intended to kill any wall crawlers or any other sneakier enemies, that sought to encircle them.

As the looming patriarch still spewed a fountain of bright tried blood form, it's severed hand roared at Jaune in anguish fixing all of its eyes on he fighting humans that dared to harm it. The boy grinned as he held both swords up to it as it slammed down another massive clawed train at him.

* * *

"Take _that!"_

Jaune yelled as he sliced off his _fourth_ limb form the titanic monstrosity. Making it howl in anguish as his blinking blue sword cut through its thick chitons like flesh like a hot knife through butter. As the monster cried out, Jaune smiled as he sliced another him off, using his regular glowing blue sword pointing the bright blue blade at the beast, who was not retreating in pain. As it roared in anguish this massive lumber limb falling backward as Jaune grinned as he jumped forward to slash at it with his regular sword.

This was it! Jaune did it! He had a semblance! A kick-ass one at that! He could make weapons, shield and even traps! With nothing but a thought! As long as he could think of it, he could make it happen! He had made glowing swords that slice enemies in two! Shields that could bash open skulls of the monsters with but a tap!

Hell! He could even shoot out _bolts_ of pure energy from his fingertips! That tore through bone and sloughed flesh as he annihilated the enemy, every attack felt like a _drain_ on him but his adrenaline-fueled mind paid it no head as they battled the enemy.

As he pushed the abomination back, his chest swelled as he finally saw his chance. The time was _now!_ He could kill this thing! He had already severed _four_ arms of it and now it was down to the end game! He just needed to slice of its ankle taking it to its knees and then slicing off its head! With that, he was finally a _real_ hunter in training and not just-  
 _"CRACK!"_

Just like that, all hopes of victory died in an instant as one heartbreaking sound filled his ears. As time stopped once more as Jaune's sword, _Corea Mors_ stopped glowing blue as bit into the monster's leg and _snapped_ in half.  
 _KERSHT!_

The formely unbreakable sword _snapped_ like a twig against the things ankle as the monster's eyes widened in something akin to surprise. As Jaune felt his mouth drop as his other sword shimmered and vanished into thin air. As it turned into mist as his shattered sword was split apart.

Vanishing into midst as he looked down at his scroll as he felt his soul fail. _Zero._ Jaune had literally _zero_ aura left in his body and-

 _"GAHH!?"_

Jaune cried out as he felt his guts being ripped out. A pained scream left Jaune's mouth as hot blood spilled from his teet, filling his mouth with the taste of iron as one of the monsters sensed his weakness stabbing into his guts with its bottom pair of arms, impaling him nearly all the way through and lifting him into mid-air.

As twin _sickly_ sinewy stabbed directly into his guts, tearing apart his now aural ess defenses as his eyes widened in shock and pain. Making him cry out in pain as burning white to agony entered his world. As the monsters taloned claw ripped into this stomach lifting him up off the ground, as it's second highest pairs of arms. Slashed down onto him, as the taloned claws raked down his face as the middle claws ripped into his chest.

Tearing apart his usual heart-shaped armor like it was wet paper and making three long gashes alogn his face. Making him cry as more hellish burning pain filled his body as his vision was blurred red and was blinded by his own blood. As the monster slashed down his face as its long serpentine tongue slathered over his face _tasting_ his blood before it opened, its massive jaws full sharpened nearly foot-long jagged teeth and filling his nostrils with an awful case of halitosis as it _bit_ into Jaune's neck.

Making him scream in agony, as its teeth sank into his flesh. Biting clean through bones and tissue making Jaune mind go back in pain. As it began to rip out his throat before Jaune snapped. Stabbing forward as like a kicked dying caged animal as he jabbed the broken, shattered remains of _Crocea Mors_ deep into its guts. Eviscerating the monster as the light died in its glaring sickly yellow eyes as it went slack.

As the monster fell down carrying Jaune with it as he howled slashing out its limbs from his body.  
Kicking it away for him as a large force gripped his bleeding form as Uzepi yanked him off his feet and began to drag him away.

"We are _leaving!"_

Uzepi said gripping Jaune forcing him backward as he saw the world _collapse._

Jaune watched in slow motion as the remainder of his team was torn apart. As Uzepi pulled him he saw Kage howl as one of the monsters, landed in front of him. Slashing his chest open and spraying the ground with blood as-

 _Crack!_

Its head exploded in a shower of blood and gore as Kage fell back as Ruby appeared firing _Crescent Rose_ inot the monster freeing Kage before turning to Jaune. As her silver eyes widened in shock and fear Jaune saw the two monsters fall from behind her.

 _"On your right!"_

Jaune thought as Ruby was born down from behind. One monster taking her down to her back before Crescent Rose slashed it's head off. As Ruby shot up as a cry left her throat as a monster slashed at her leg. Splitting it open and spraying its face with her blood and-

 _Crack!_

Ruby fired one last shot as its head popped open like a grape. As she fell back as six more swarmed over her-

 _BANG! BANG!_

kage reappeared limping bald blood pouring from his chest as he fired into the horde attacking Ruby. Firing faster than Jaune had ever seen him shoot. As he blew apart the monsters, yanking Ruby to her feet as Make appeared at his side. Pouring flamed onto the monsters. Before letting out a long gout of fir on the patriarch as it roared in anger.

As it screamed Uzepi yanked Jaune again as his word spun and his vision went dim as his entire world became a rolling ball of blood, fire, gunshots screaming and-

 _FSIHT!_

The sound of piercing metal filled his ears as twin silver hooks shot out from the _bear traps?_ Of all things as a pair of what looked like a pair of bicycle, pedals appeared on them. Creating a long silver line that went form the base of the church to somewhere in its upper reaches as Uzepit began to bark orders.

"Kage _first!"_

She said as the bleeding form of Kage, grunting, bleeding profusely from his chest and swearing like a drunk sailor. Shuffled on the bicycle pedals firing twice more into the horde before placing twin feet on the pedals and-

 _VRT!_

He was yanked off the ground by some type of pulley system as he shot up inot the ceiling. Like he was yanked by some gigantic hand or a claw machine as Uzepi began to shout.

 _"Smith! Rose!_ Now! Me and Arc are leaving with or _without_ you!"

Uzepi bellowed as the bleeding from of Ruby and the still pristine form of Mika shot forward. Both putting one foot on a pair of petals as they held onto one another as-  
 _VRT!_  
They were yanked off the ground before Uzpei did the same to him.  
"Hold on _Arc!_ "

She yelled as the boy coughed up another lung full of blood as his vision swam before-  
 _VRT!_  
Jaune grimaced as a massive hand slammed into his chest. As his world spin into a kaleidoscopic realm of pain and nausea as he was yanked off the ground by the pulley. Slamming him up forward and yanking him up and past the glaring and sill on fire monstrosity of the patriarch.

As the abomination glared at him with rage-filled eyes. it slashed forward with one pair of it still uninjured claws, snagged one of the lines yanking it free from the ground as twin feminine screams filled the air.  
As Ruby and Mika's line was ripped from its hooks as the pair of girls were sent flying off of their lines and into the black unknown as Jaune saw his best friend flying off into the black darkness of the underground area as he felt his heat snap.

 _"NO!"_

Jaune yelled as he shouted out loud as he was yanked off the line of the pulley as he was thrown through a broken roof into the glowing white light of the outside world.

* * *

" _Ruby!? RUBY!? MIKA!?_ Where-

"Not now Blondie! _Kage!_ Call the ship tell them we got a crisis on our hands!"

Uzepi said as Kage finished patching up Jaune's wounds, helping the boy as he cried in pain. Well, that was a stretch as Kage could only wrap up the young boy with a somewhat clean cloth. As he poured aura regeneration liquid on it, making him scream in pain as he gripped his leg as he grins his pain after Kage finished removed his tattered chest plate.

As the boy, cried Kage sighed as he felt some of his leader's pain. Besides the fact that _both_ of them had massive chest wounds that while not _immediately_ fatal would definitely kill them if they did not seek medical attention and _soon._ Both young men lost thier armor in this battle. Jaune lost whatever the hell he wore as a loos skirmishing outfit. And Kage doubled the loss as not only had he lost his original handmade master crafted artificer full body red plate mail. He also lost this brand new power armor and the weapon that came with it!

A loss that made him wince in pain as the only silver ling was the _S.T.C.-_

The _S.T.C.!_ Kage had given the invaluable piece of technology to R-

"Ruby! We need to go back for her and Mika!"

Jaune hissed as Uzep shook her head at him.

"No can do kid. You saw what happened to them. They got tossed through the roof. As far as we know, the two of them are _dead_ , and I won't risk the lives of the living for the ones of the dead. Now get up. We have ground to cover for our evac."

Uzepi said checking her slim pistol her hard purple eyes glaring into Jaune as he ground his teeth.

"Ruby is still alive! Mkia and her are probably lost hurt-

"Dead. You mean they are dead right now. Sorry kind you girlfriend is gone."

Uzepi said shrugging her shoulders at the boy. Shift her light greyish brown flak jacket as Jaune bit his tongue.

Igonor the searing pain in his neck, stomach and face and eyes as he yelled

"She's alive! I know she is! We need to dine him-

"You are feeling grief. Look, kid, I get it. I really do. No one likes losing their squad members in the field. Especially on a mission like this."

Uzepi said as Jaune beg to glare before a roar of engines filled the air as the bullhead they flew in on soared above head as Uzep clapped her head.

"Ok kiddos! You see that? That's our ticket home now no more mopping! TIme to move out!"

Uzepi said pointing to the low hang craft hover over half a mile into the broken city scale as jaune glared at her. Ruby w alive. He knew she was alive and he was going to save her. Whether Uzepi wanted him to or not.

* * *

 _"It hurts..._

"Come on Ruby! We have to make it!"

Mika said happily lift her friend forward as the two girls began thier journey. The pulley after the monstrous thing yanked on their cords had deposited the two girls somewhere deep in the cityscape.

Slamming both of them crashing clean through building a wall and severely injuring Ruby. As when she woke up, her right li was nearly split in half, with what now counted as her femur spilled in two. As strange brackish fluids that looked like a cross between motor oil and blood spilled, form her legs.

Making her cry in agony as Mika finally found her and began to help her walk.

" **Structural integrity compromised. At the current rate, _we_ have less than thirty percent functionality in _our_ left leg. _Our_ right one is down to eighty. Ammunition is at a _critically_ low level, and _our_ ribs are fractured. The jagged feeling in _our_ chest is our right lung. It has been punctured by a rib and is now bleeding."**

Her eye said as Ruby grimaced in pain taking slim note of how it said _our_ and _we_ and not her body being damaged. As the two shuffled through the dull grey rust covered city streets, the first howls found them.

As the girl titled their head the sound fo whatever those strange creatures were filled their ears as Mika paused.

"Mika? What are you going? They are going to catch us if we stand still!"

Ruby said taking a much-needed back to rest on Mika's shoulder as the usually chipper girl turn to Ruby slowly. Her face devoid of any emotion and appears to be little more than a blank slate

Her usually sharp mermaid where eyes now dull and hollow akin to that of a doll as she spoke in a monotone voice.

"Ruby. I _like_ you."

Mika said in a tone that sent chills down Ruby's spine as she gulped.

"I... I like you two?"

Ruby replied as Mika gave her an unreadable glare.

"You are my _friend._ One of my _best_ friends. And I do not want to see you hurt."

"Same here! That's-

'But I will _not_ die for you."

Mika said pushing Ruby away from her as Ruby cried out in agony as _Crescent Rose_ shot out form her hands into scythe from. As the girl gripped onto it still bleeding from her leg as she supported herself on _Crescent Roses_ extended form.

"Mika?! What are-

"Ruby. You are walking to slow. At this rate, the things will catch us. I like you, but I am unwilling to die for you."

Mika said in a disturbingly toneless voice as Ruby began to panic.

"Then _what_?! Are you just going to let me be eaten-

"Of course, not _silly!"_

Mika said back to her use perpetually happy self as a switch flipped in her mind.

"I can't let my best friend be eaten by some _nasty_ monsters! Now, can I?"

"Then you will help me!?"  
Ruby asked das Mika nodded.

"Sure will! Now you either grip my shoulder and start jogging! Or...

"Or?"

Ruby asked as Mika's face once again lost all cool as he pivoted to Ruby and pointed her flamethrower at her as its pilot light flickered on.

"I said I wouldn't let you get eaten. And I _meant_ it."

She said as the flamethrower began to cook...

* * *

"Ok! Everyone up! _Now!"_

Uzepi yelled as the three of them finally ran past the duct filled streets reaching thier evac point as Kage had to literally _force_ Jaune onto the bullhead as she gave the city one last look before sighing.

Ruby and Mika were _gone._ There was no sense waiting for them here now and-

 _"There!"_

Kage yelled suddenly pointing off into the distance where a happy go luck sociopath and bleed reaper. Both moving in an awkward jog as a literal sea of chitons monster followed behind them. Giving chase as almost cloud of dust claws and talons followed them.

"Well, I'll be. _K!_ Take us to them! Kage put some covering fire will you?"

Uzepi asked putting one-foot on the crafts open door, as she gripped the side of the ship as it lifted off.

" _Ruby!?"'_  
Jaune shouted as the craft shook and tuned as Kage got one side mounted Gattling cannon.

"On it _boss."_

He said in an indifferent voice, grunt as his bleeding form sat on the side of the turret as he gripped it was handling and swiveled it toward the horde.

 _BRRTTT!_

The side cannon tore into the monsters. Putting a stream of steady projectiles the size of his hand into the enemy, as it split bloody gouts into the monsters.  
As dust power cannon rounds tore apart the enemy in brutal shoer of offal, this head form should obliterate torsos and tossing bodies far into the air.

As the ship roared to the struggling girls, Uzep kicked out a rope ladder, to Mika and Ruby. As the two girls gripped the ladder as Uzpei smacked the side of the ship.

"Pull them up!"

Uzepi yelled as the pilot began to wince up the rope ladder up. As Kage let out a steady stream of fire that while impressive was ultimately useless as the hundreds of monster were still streaming up to face them.

As the girls finally came up as Jaune reached over to them helping Mika on board as she tossed Ruby into him s the boy snatched her out of the side.

"Ruby!? Rub?! Are you o-

 _"OH SHIT!"_

The voice of the pilot yelled through he bullets speakers. As a building collapsed in on itself, as the massive form of the patriarch bleeding or its score of wounds as it roared at the top of its lung. As it turned its eyes to the ship.

"Take us out of here! NOW!"

She said as Jaune pulled Ruby and Mika up to the ship as the pilot looked back to them from the cockpit and nodded.

" _You don't have to tell me twice!"_

Kiriko said as the ship turned around before burning at full speed. As the ships, violent thrusts forced the ship away from the towering bleeding monstrosity as it gave them one last deafening below of a roar.

As Uzepi struck the back on the craft where Jaune was cradling Ruby like a small child as Kage fins firn and walk not the back closing the side door as she stepped inside as team ARKM and their chaperone speed of inot the day leaving the city of abominations as the craft rocketed away from them.

* * *

"The _fuck_ happened!?"

Jaune shouted as Uzepit as he held a now sill Ruby. Kage had bandaged the girl as best as he could. And Uzepi was actually a trained medic that saved Ruby's life.

As she stitched up the girl's leg wound. Patching up the leg before giving the Grimm prognostic that Ruby would need even more implants.

As the woman turned a tired face to Jaune as she sighed.

"That. Was what we call in the Bastion staffrooms as a verified _Cluster Fuck."_  
The woman said with a sigh putting her massive arms on her head as Jaune glared at the woman.

"You called that thing a _patriarch!_ What the hell was it and why were we sent them to kill it!?'

Jaune shouted as the woman's gaze became hard as she glared at him.

"Becuase it's our _job_ kid! When we are told to come to the city to eliminate a target, we do it!"

 _"Eliminate!?_ We were her to scavenge! Not kill anything!"

"That was the _pretense_! We had a secondary objective!"

"And _that_ was!?"

"To see the level of hostile infection and assess the appropriate force needed for the reclamation of the city."

"And you did not tell me about this!?"

"No, I did not. I do not have to tell you an Oum damned thing Jaune! You are _mine_! _My_ subordinate! I make the rules! I call the shots! And I get to decide when I share classified information with a bunch of snot nose brats!"

She shouted as Jaune glared at the man feeling his blood been to boil nd-

" _Jaune.. it hurts._

Ruby said in her forced sleep as the curb given by Kage that knocked her out like a light. As she now clutched his bloodstained pant leg as Jauen dropped to his knee.

"I'm here Ruby... Don't worry you are going to be fine."

"Don't lie to her _Boss._ You know she's screwed."

Kage said sitting next to Ruby and sighing heavily as the leads back in his seat. His three lang white bandages wrapped around his chest, as his now aura less body could no longer heal him as he grimaced in pain.

"Kage! How are you so calm about this!? Mika almost died-

"No, she _didn't."_

Kage said simply as he closed his eyes as his massive muscled chest was still bleeding as his bandages were now a deep crimson color as Jaune blinked owlishly at him.

"Kage, Mika was gone! She was in the city-

"She was in _no_ danger."

"How can you say that!? She-

"Her semblance. As long as she uses it, she's fine."

"Her semblance? S-

"She's _immortal."_

Kage said flatly keeping his eyes closed as Jaune froze.

 _"Immortal?_ You said that before but you don't mean-

"Yes. Yes, I do. Jaune she is immortal. She can not die."

Kage said in a flat monotone voice as Jaune turned to the smiling girl int he back of the bulkhead humming to herself with her eyes closed kicking her legs happily in the air.

 _"Immortal?_ as in-

"As in she can not _die. Period."_

"Is it because of her resemblance?"

"Sure is."

"What... what _is_ her semblance?"

Jaune asked honestly as kage frowned still closing his eyes.

"She's a damned _virus.'_

Kage said simply as-  
 _FSHTT!_

"Oh _shit._ Ludo's calling."

Uzepi said pulling our her scroll from her side as she breathed in deeply.  
"Hello? Sir?"

The woman said as she put the scroll on _speaker._

 _"AH! Uzepi! How are you doing?"_

The headmaster of Bastion voiced asked as it filled the bullhead interior as Uzepi gulped.

"Fine sir! Just fine!"

 _"Excellent. And the mission? Was it a success?"_

The men as the woman grimaced.

 _"Negative_ sir. We found the patriarch damaged it severely, but we failed to kill it."

She said as long pregnant pause filled the cabin as all eyes turned to her as a sight as heard on her scroll.

" _I see. How is the level of the infection in the city?"_

" _Extreme."_

" _What is your recommendation?'_

 _"Burn it."_

Uzepi said in a cold voice as a loud sigh was heard from the other side of the scroll as Ludo groaned.

 _"What a shame. Ah well did you manage to find any old world technology?"_

The man asked as Uzpie turned to Kage who looked down at the body of Ruby. As he bent down to her putting his hands behind her back reaching into her hood and pullout out a silver octagon?

Of all thing as he turned to Uzpepi and shook his head.

"That is a _negative_ as well sir. We _found_ nothing of value."

 _"I see. Thank you for you work Uzepi. I look forward to your after mission report."_

The man said as he turned off the scroll as Jaune glared at him .r

"What was that about?"

He akes as the woman rubbed her temples.

"That was me getting back at a man who almost sent me to my death."

She said as Jaune froze as the woman give him a harsh, brittle laugh.

"Jaune. Don't think for a _second_ that I like going on these missions. Don't get me wrong! I love a good fight but when I have to fight things that I unprepared for because some crazy son of a bitch wants to see how far a team of first years can go with minimal information and almost no training?"

"Even _I_ get a bit pissed."

Uzepi said sitting down in a metal chair as Jaune blinked thrice before sighing as he gave up on anger sitting down alone next to Ruby as he turned to his chaperone.

"Uzepi... What was that _thing?"_

Jaune asked the woman feeling too drained to keep up being hostile as she sighed heavily into her seat.

" A relic from a long, _long_ time ago kid. A type of weapon meant to wipe out your enemy without risking any of your own people."

"So... A bioweapon?"

"Not really. Think of it as an engineered life form that you can drop one, of these things when they are small behind enemy lines. And in a few months, they have turned the enemy into little bite-sized pieces."

Uzepi said taking out a cigar from her vest lighting it and smoking it as Jaune felt his breath leave his lungs as he rubbed his head. Looking at the destroyed sword, and thinking of his lost shield. His armor was rent and torn. His weapons ripped from his body. He was defenseless now. Even _with_ his semblance Jaune was basically harmless as he forces the negative thoughts from his mind as he looked down to Ruby.

"What about Ruby.. can we fix her without giving her any more implants?"

Jaune aksed as she froze as she took a deep draw from her cigar and puffed out a massive cloud of smoke as she grimaced.

"Yes. If you take her to the _doctor_ of Bastion. You can fix her with no need for any more mechanical components."

"Doctor? haven't we gon to the doctor's office before?"

"No. You went to the _Mechanicus_ office. That is the defacto medical spot for Bastion, but it is not the official medical ward of Bastion. There is an official ward that the only registered doctor of Bastion will treat you."

"Then why don't we take here there?!"

"Becuase kid, only the type of people, go to the Bastion doctor, the _mad_ , the _suicidal_ and the _desperate_. No one else goes to see him and those who also do none come back. Now sit down and sleep. I'll talk to Ludo for us os we don't get excited k?'

She askes sinking into her seat as she sighed as the ship roared onward.

* * *

"Is that all Uzepi?"

"Sir. Yes, sir. We came we got overwhelmed, and we were forced to extract ourselves sir."

The woman said as a broken battered and bleeding forms of team ARKM stood in front of the headmaster as the man nodded his head. "Fine. So be it. Team ARKM. You have done well this time."

"If you call _failing_ doing well."

Miss Heil said as Jaune glared t the woman as she rolled her burning red eyes to him.

"There, there Miss. They did their best, and I can not fault them for that. Besides they will _only_ have a days' rest before thier next mission-

 _"Next!?_ Sir, we are going out so soon?!"

Jaune asked as Ludo nodded once.

"Yes, mister Arc. You are an _elite_ student now, and you can not afford to rest. You will be given one day to recuperate. Until then you have not only lost your armor but your weapon as well? Report to the coordinates that I will send to your school to find the Death Korps quartermaster and request a _commanders_ uniform and the accompanying _armaments_ to go along with it. They will know who you are.'

The man said as Jaune nodded.

 _"Sir."_  
Jaune said bitterly as Ludo turned to Kage as he fixed a cold glare on the boy.

"Kage.'

"Sir?"

"You have also taken damage in this mission. Tell me how do you intend to fight without your armor?"

"I have my guns, sir. And I will request that the Mechanicus make some more for me."

The boy said as Ludo raised his eye to him.

"The Mechanicus do make a nice set of armor, but they will not do it for _free._ Tell me, Kage, what are you paying them for their services?"

The man asked Kage he his glare as Ludo grinned a cruel soulless smirk.

"Kage. I'll have you know that _anything_ the Mechanicus would want I will also most likely want. And if you were to... _depart_ with some of thier payment to me, I would be more than happy to _reward_ you for the effort."

"Sorry, sir. I am only asking for help. I do them favors with data reports only."

"As you say. Just know that I ma always than open for business, and if data mining should no longer prove _marketable,_ I am always happy to lend a hand to my best. Dismissed."  
The man said as team ARKM turned and-

"Oh wait! I just forgot! Jaune. Ruby. Kage. Mika. Uzepi has _personally_ informed me that you found _no_ old world technology on your mission. This is true correct?"

The man asked as Jaune, Ruby, Kage, and Mika shared a look before Jaune stepped up.

"Sir. That is _true."_

Jaune said in a frim voice a Ludo nodde dhsi head.

"I see. And since an Arc _never_ tells a lie I see no reason to doubt you! Dismissed."

He said as Jaune and his team gulped as Uzepi gave him a grateful look as team ARKM as one and left the room.

* * *

 _"Bed!"_

Ruby shouted as she flopped onto her team ARKM bed as she hit the bird a collapse.  
Team ARKM was a hot mess. As the vast majority of the team was wrapped up in tight beige bandages, and barely able to walk in a straight line. Kage's chest was wrapped over with over four rows of them, as Jaunes entire upper face was covered in them as well.

As Ruby's femur was spit and replaced _entirely_ with pure metal. As her entire right leg bone from her feet to her hip was now made of hard metal as she flopped onto Jaune's bed as she flopped onto the impossibly soft Bastion beds as Jaune sat next to her. With the sole exception of Mika who was still utterly _pristine_ in condition with not so much as a _smudge_ of her furs as all of team ARKM had thier collective teeth kicked in. With a list of injuries form the nurse that Jaune did not even want to _think_ about let alone deal with as she sat on his bed and rubbed Ruby's head.

"We made it _Rubes.._. _We_ made it...  
Jaune said as he looked on at his broken shatters sword.

 _Crocea Mors_ was an Arc family hear loom, passed down for well over centuries. Going from hand to hand of Arc descendants. Carrying them into battle after battle. Protection Arc fighters from Grimm and man and everything else that Remnant could throw at them.

And _now_? Now it laid shattered broken next to useless in his arms. As he looked down at the jagged swords shattered frame, looking into his equally shattered visage as he sighed deeply rubbing his batter head, Jaune's face as a _mess._

Three long messy claw marks ran down his face. Starting at the tip of his head, right where his beige bandages began and making a tiro on long jagged scars tissue that went form the tip of his still blood splattered hair all the way down past into his chest. Where over three dozen sharp incisions rested on his neck and shoulder where the monster had bitten him.

As he rubbed his head he felt a profound sense of loss in him as he mourned the loss of his sword and shield as he felt the loss of history in his hands as he looked down at it.

 _It's like I was never worthy of it._

Jaune thought as he sighed deeply-

"You two need some _help."_

Kage said holding out a pair of cigarettes to Jaune and Ruby as they to snatched them out of his had as Mika sauntered up to them with her flamethrower held high.

"Need a _light?'_

She asked as she lit four separate cigarettes for team ARKM as Kage took a seat at the foot of Jaune and Ruby's bed. As Ruby and Jaune took a deep satisfying drag from their cigarettes. As the teens felt the struggles and stress of thier first _official_ mission finally melt away. At they both blew out loud clouds of smoke into the room Ruby cuddled into Jaunes lap as the boy wondered how the hell Ruby could be so soft. _Seriously!_

It was like being cuddled by a little red cloud! And if not for fear of Yang's wrath he would be tempted to reach out and _touch_ the cloud and-  
 _Why are you scared of her? You could take Yang now._  
Jaune thought as he blinked twice releasing a held breath and wondering just how far he had come in his time in Bastion. And just how strong he had gotten and how strong he was in comparison to his old friends. Back then he was a weak kid with a sword and shield and a winning smile that was not so great and no semblance. Now he _did_ have a semblance. A strong one at that. He could manipuate his aura into any physical object so long as he could picture it in his mind. And he could make as much as he could but it would drain his aura.

Good thing I have a lot. Just like Pyrrha used to tell me. _You have a lot of aura Jaune. More than even me!_ She would say ofter as Jaune grimaced. _Did... Did she think I was weak to? She said I was special, that I had potential but did she really mean that? Or was she just lying to keep me close?_

A thought that had not entered his head since he had just usually considered himself to be weak. But now? _Am I weak? I mean I'm not invincible, the scars on my face, chest, and gut show that but I'm much better than I was back then._

 _Could Ren, Blake or Yang take on the Deadlands? Could Nora or Weiss take down the Kernel? Could even his partner Pyr take on a patriarch and come out alive?_ Could any of his _friends..._

 _Friends..._ there was that word again as Jaune found himself truly wondering if he _had_ any real friends in Beacon. Did the other members of team RWBY think of him as a _friend?_ Or just a _liability?_ He knew _Ruby_ liked him. He was her _best_ friend. And he knew the members of his own team loved him like a brother and _more_ in his partner's case. Though Ruby _had_ brought out the point that maybe just _maybe_ his team thought of him as more of a cute frightened animal that was in need of twenty-four-hour protection and was _less_ than likely to see him as an equal.

Hell! She even went as far to say that he was not growing under their protection but actually stagnating under it! Ridiculous! Nora and Ren loved him and Pyr would never let him stagnate! But that was neither here more there and she only brought that up _once_ a lifetime ago as he pushed the thoguht to the side of his head.

As he thought _did_ he have friends back at Beacon? Jaune thought as he felt a dark feeling enter his chest as his mind began to race.

Did anyone really _trust_ him? Did they _respect_ him? Where they really his _friends?_ With his real friends like _Kage. Mika. Hino. Zach-_  
Jaune froze again as he blinked twice in the dim room light. Since when did he think that they were his friends? Was it when the bleed with him? Fought with him almost _died_ for him?

As much as he liked or he thought he liked his friends at RWBY he knew on a deep level that they would _never_ die for him. They would not risk thier lives for him. Like his Bastion friends, his _real_ friends would do.

Jaune thought to himself as he turned to Kage.

 _"Help_? What do you mean help?"

"Simple. We got our _asses_ handed to us today. And we need some time to get ourselves together. To lick our wounds and be able to stand on our own two feet once more."

He said in a lazy voice as Mika sat on the floor and laid her head on his lap as he rubbed her long flowing silver hair lazily with one naked brown hand.

"What do you mean by that?"  
 _"Simple._ In Bastion, there are four powerful entities that exist inside the school. _The Death Korps. The Piercing lancers. The Mechanicu_ s and _The followers of the light._ You need to ally yourself with _one_ of them."

"One of them? I don't even know them. How no why would I ally myself with people I do not even know?"

 _"You_ do not know them. But _I_ do. I am well connected to the Mechanicus Jaune. Tomorrow I will write you and Ruby a letter of recommendation to them."

"Letter of recommendation? The hell is that?'

"Oh trust me Jaune. You and Ruby got your shit kicked in but it's not all bad. Let's just say I brought back a little _something-something_ that is going to put us all in pretty high regards with the tech priest. And after they streamline this stuff? Well, let's just say that our _armor_ issues will be dead and gone. But until then, wait till tomorrow. Go to them after you are rearmed you will see what friends in high places can do. Until then? Let's just _rest."_

Kage said laying his head back on Jaune bed as Mika curled up in his lap as Jaune sighed as Ruby cuddle into his lap.

"Jaune.. let's do it tomorrow. We have the day off."

Ruby said as Jaune sighed.  
"Sure. Why not. We'll go see the Meachicus tomorrow."  
Jaune said sigh heavily as Mika tossed her ax inot the wall setting of the light with a loud _THWACK!_

Hitting the light switch with her ax and bathing the room in darkness as Kage sighed.

"Was that _necessary?"_  
He asked as she snuggled into him.

 _"Nope!_ But I wanted to!"

"Right...

Kage said as Jaune felt his eyes close as he thought, _to hell with what Yang thinks about me. If she wants to fight me, she can come and try it. And take an aura Crocea to her neck for the trouble. She and the rest of team RWBY can come at me as well._ He thought as he wrapped his arms around the snuggling ball of red different of him.  
Wrapping them up in thier bright red blankest of their bed as he pulled Ruby into him as Ruby almost _purred_ in delight as she curled into him as soft snoring noises came from in front of him instigating that his other members were fast asleep. A state of being he would soon join as he was tired, his legs hurt, his chest hurt his entire body felt like he had been run over by a truck. And Jaune knew his life was _only_ going to get worse before it got better. _If no_ _When._ It got better Jaune said to himself as he closed his eyes gripping Ruby's small form to him and let the darkness take him as team ARKM went to bed.

* * *

 **An: Here we go! Team ARKM suffered their first defeat! The patriarch wins, Our boy has a semblance! Jaune has lost his weapons _and armor!_ kage is about to make a deal with the devil! Team ARKM lied about the S.T.C. and now is the time for the internal Bastion _Politics!_ Look forward to infighting! Backstabbing and just general chaos! As we delve into the varied and powerful inner factions that keep Bastions wells turning! As we delve into our next arc and go right back into the action! Until then thanks for reading. If you follow me Game on is next so until then! **

**Omake.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant. Part 13. Best laid plans.**

"As you all can see. There is a significant amount of insurrection in the city."

Pyrrha said as she walked around the briefing room as Jaune rubbed his temples as he wished he had shot the woman when he first met her. As the beautiful inquisitor talked.

"We need to make a _decisive_ action. I have pinpointed that all disturbance in the area to one focal point here. As you can see this is near the warehouse where you rescued me and my entourage."

"We did not need rescuing."

The green haired woman _Emerald?_ Said as Mercury smirked behind her sniper rifle raised ever so slightly to her. Not to the point where it would garner suspicion but just enough so that he could blast her brains out in a moments notice if he felt like doing so. Jaune approved.

As he turned to Pyrrha a steaming bowl of tea was placed in front of him as the rich warm aroma of spearmint filled his nose he smile once.

"Thank you, Ren."

"Your welcome commissar."

Ren said sliding inot his side as Jaune turned to Pyrrha.

"Why don't you call in hunters for this kind of thing? I mean we are _Guard_ and we are the _best_ the Imperium has to offer but why not just call in the big guns?"

Jaune asked as Pyrrha but of a beautiful but fake smile. As she pointed to the blue holographic display as it shifted to show a far off point of Atlas.

"All nearby hunters are currently busy in a _pacification_ operation in the far north of Atlas right now and can not be called in to help."

She said as Mercury snorted.

"BS. The only thing worth mentioning up there is small towns of imperials. No way Monty's finest are to busy up there to help."

Mercury asked with a snarl Jaune smirked.

"Easy there, _Black._ The inquisitor probably does not want to say the word _Necron_ and scare the piss out from the city."

Jaune said as Pyrrha froze as if she had been shot as Emerald nearly coughed up her own tongue.

"How the hell do you know about the Necrons!?"

She demanded as Black raised an eyebrow.

" _Necrons?_ What the hell are they?"

"They. Are a _myth_. A badly reported unproven myth spread by heretics and traitors _only_. Something I am sure this commissar is _not._ Isn't that right _Jaune?_ You are not a traitor are you?"

The beautiful woman asked as Jaune snorted at her.

"Sure. You say that now until we find ourselves facing down a wall of _Gauss cannons_ with nothing but las guns and frag grenades. Then we will be singing another song."

Jaune said as Pyrrha ground her teeth.  
"Commis Arc. While I am aware of your _contributions_ to the Imperial Creed. You are _not_ above reproach."

She said giving Jaune a warning glare as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Ehh? Maybe not but while I"m here I might as well be honest with you."

Jaune said hoping not get banned from being anywhere near the inquisitor as she blinked owlishly at him. Her emerald eyes shining brightly as she cocked her head at him.

"You... You speak your mind to me...

"I do."

"I... I am an _inquisitor..._

"You are _not_ the first I've met."

"She is Pyrrha-

"You keep saying this but who the hell are you? Everyone seems to think you are some bigshot or something? I know you are an inquisitor but are you so great?"

Jaune asked as Emerald looked ready to pop a blood vessel as Pyrrha gave a melodic _laugh?_

As she fell over to her side laughing racuously as she smiled at him.

"Why! Why I never! No one has _ever_ talked to me so _candidly!_ Jaune Arc your reputation is well deserved!"

Pyrrha said with a look Jaune only saw on swirl barmaids and woman with _less_ than honorable intentions as Jaune felt the hairs rasing on his neck as he felt like he was about to be forced to do something incredibly stupid and deadly as-

"Commissar! We have news from the front!"

Oscar sad bursting into the command ten as Jaune sighed.

"What's the matter, Oscar? Didn't I say that this was a _private_ meeting?"

"Sir! I know but there is news from the city!"

"And that is?"

"Sir! The faunus are attacking the civilians!"

Oscar said as all jaws but his and Pyrrha's mouths dropped as he sighed heavily. _Well, there goes my easy day._

Jaune thought as Pyrrha smirked at him.

"Well, Jaune. It looks like we will be heading into the field together again. I have a mission to finish and the men could use a commissar. And besides I for one would not mind the company of a man of such blunt _honesty._ And I am not so bad to look at don't you think?"

The woman who would later grow to be Jaune's most important person in his life and the single _greatest_ thorn in his side said as she flashed him a melodic smile.

"Fine. I have a _reputation_ to uphold after all."

Jaune said as he gripped _Crocea Mors_ as he readied himself to get shot at. _Again._


	30. Pillar one Reload

**AN: Here we go! Another day another chapter of Bastion! In this chapter, we have team ARKM in need of much-needed rearmament. A deal is formed, Jaune gets some new _toys_ and the team makes a much need pit stop! Also, the story is going well and...**

 **AH! I can't take it, you all have been teased too much! Next chapter we get a _Beacon Reunion!_ So stay tuned! **

* * *

"Is it time?" The blond leader of team ARKM asked his team member and _actual_ friend Kage as the tall boy nodded.  
"Sure is _boss._ We should get going soon."  
Kage said yawning loudly as he stretched, out his arms Jaune frowned at seeing him out of his armor for the first time really. As the boy's once proud red plate mail was hopelessly devastated by the _patriarchs'_ claws. Kage was reduced to wearing a thin black shirt and thin black shorts, that hugged his brown skin tightly.  
Acting almost as a second skin and showing off his impressive amount of muscles, a sight that _might_ have made Jaune jealous a few months ago back in Beacon but now that he had an _equally_ remarkable physique Jaune barely gave it a second thoguht.

As kage loaded his guns on his waist in improves holsters, he got from somewhere. As his massive red blocky pistol hung loosely as team ARKM got ready for the day.  
It was going to be a busy day for the teens as they technically had the day off it was only for a short time. As ther were many many things that needed to be done. Kage had to take Ruby to get her checked out at the Mechanicus as he was also looking to drop off the _item_. They withheld from Ludo. An STC for power armor as Kage had promised the Mechanicus would reward them in kind.

Jaune for his spot had to go to the armory of the Koprs to get his new weapons. After _Crocea Mors_ was broken and lost, he was in desperate need of new armament, even with his aura unlocked and his semblance activated he still could not rely on an ability that used the very thing that kept him alive to fight with solely.

Even if he had a lot of aura using a physical weapon was a necessity for Jaune. As he got dressed in his standard Bastion uniform much like his Bacon one but black as night instead of odd checkered patterns on its wings.

As he got dressed Ruby slowly still waking up came over her mechanical eye poking out of her head curiously as he and Mika waited at the door, the taller older girl resting on her green hatchet as she smiled at Jaune "You ready for the day mister _~boss man~?"_

Mika asked as Jaune sighed and nodded, running a hand over his short blonde hair as he did.  
"Sure am Mika. Let's get him over with."  
Jaune said as Ruby nodded. "I'm with you.' She said as Jaune led team ARKM out the doors and into Bastion proper as they went to thier first priority of the day _food._

* * *

"So what do you know about the armory, and what did you mean about alliances with other factions?"  
Jaune asked Kage as the two boys led ther team down the typically eerily silent Bastion stone hallways.  
"Not much. It's basically a requisition post where you go to a certain spot to get more ammo and such. And about alliances, we should _really_ work to allying ourselves with somebody at this point."

Kage said as Ruby paused.  
"Ally ourselves? Arent we allied with the Death Korps?'  
Ruby asked as Kage smirked as a thin line of emotion broke his lips as his usually stone brown face gave a hint of amusement at ther question.  
"No Ruby, we _work_ for the Death Korps. We are _not_ allied with hem. In fact, they don't really like us all too much." Kage said as the girl blinked owlishly.  
"They don't like us? Why not?"

"This is a long story _Red_."  
"Tell it. We have time."  
Jaune said in a calm yet _firm_ tone as Kage nodded.

"Simply put, they think we are _rookies."_  
Kage said as Jaune froze.  
"Rookies? How the hell are we rookies? Have you seen what we have been through?"  
He asked anger flashing through his now cold cerulean blue eyes as Kage sighed.  
"I can explain."  
"Go one then."

Jaune said as Kage nodded to his leader as he spoke.

"Well think about it like this. _We_ joined the Death Korps right?"  
"Yeah, we voted on joining, and we all said we wanted to join."  
Jaune said as Kage frowned.  
 _"We_. Ok. But think about it like this. We are a part of the Death Korps, but they do not like us. Not at all, to them, we are like toy soldiers pretending to be Korps."

 _"Pretending!?_ We have been through hell for them! How can they think that about us?'  
Jaune nearly snarled as Kage sighed.  
"Think like this. The Death Korps are not known for being friendly with the other factions, they are a _particularly_ insular faction, and they don't like others, and they don't like _us."_

"But we are them!"  
"Not necessarily, the Death Korps has their own way of doing, and they do not like it when outsiders _meddle_ with them. Let me ask you who promoted us in the Death Korps? Who made us the _special forces?"_  
"Ludo-  
"Exactly. Ludo promoted us _not_ the Death Korps itself. You see while there may be four overall factions in Bastion Ludo retains complete control of all of them. And can promote or add anyone to any faction at will. Ludo promoted us in the Death Korps when the actual Korps did not. We did not earn the promotion according to them, and we are basically pretenders wearing their gear. And they don't like that."

"We fought for them! Bled for them we-  
"So did everyone else. You saw Zach he had his promotion to captain and he was fighting with us at the badlands. Why didn't he get special treatment?'

"But Zach is? An elite member of them?"  
"Yeah, he is _but!_ He earned his going through the Korps itself, not through Ludo. He did the continual missions with them after our own, even when we didn't. Hell, he was even at the Kernel, in thier eyes he earned it with them."

Kage said as Jaune sighed.  
"So what do we do? If the Death Korps don't want us, who do we ally with?"

Jaune asked as Kage raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Are you asking me who _I_ think we should ally with or are you asking me who _you_ would want to ally with?"  
Kage asked as Jaune glared at him.

"Which faction would _I_ be ok with us working with?"  
"The P _iercing lancers._ They are the ones that you would want to work with."

Kage said instantly as Jaune's eyes narrowed at him.  
"Why them?"  
"Because they are _objectively_ good. They want to save the most amount of people by using the least amount of lives. They exist to save people nothing else. They are the ones that you would _most_ likely get along with."

The boy said as Jaune scratched his chin.  
"Good. How do we meet with them to discuss an alliance?"

"I'll arrange it for you don't worry."

Kage said as-  
 _"Can_ we ally with them? I mean we are a part of the Death Korps won't the faction take offense at another faction that they do not get along with asking to ally with them?"  
The blonde asked as kage shook his head.  
"Our status with the Korps is well known. They won't mind us asking to join. They are pretty practical about this kind of thing so we should be good."  
"But wait, will we being apart of the Death Korps stop us from being a part of them?"  
Ruby asked as Kage sighed.  
"No, it will most likely be ok. Ludo is the one pulling strings on this, and since that gives us a _considerable_ amount of lee way we _should_ be able to sort this out."  
Kage said as team ARKM rounded the corner as the sound of food and dim voices mumbling filled the air as they round the path into the Bastion cafeteria as their stomachs began to roar.

* * *

"So you fuckers made it! Heard you went through some real shit back there. How'd it turn out?"  
Zach asked eating a steaming plate of meat as the ghost skinned teen ate his luck as Jaune sighed.  
"It went _badly._ We encountered something that beat us to hell and back. We barely got out with our lives and our the mission was a failure."  
Jaune said as Zach chomped loudly on his food as Hino frowned.  
"I am sorry to hear that Jaune. I hope that you are not to severely injured. You lost your weapons and armor, how will you fight now?"  
The calm, beautiful teen asked as she slowly picked apart her pork chop as Zach chomped his meat.  
"Oh yeah! Thoguht something was off with you lot! More than usual that is, for one Kage isn't clanking around the damned place trying to make the _damn dead!"_  
Zach said as Kage ignored him as he ate his plate of fried tubers in peace as Zach sighed.  
"Ignore me? Your _best friend_ will yah? Well to hell with you too! Be lucky that Hino's here or I'd put a damn cap in you emotionless ass so fast-  
"Do you _have_ to threaten people so early? It's barely after twelve."  
Hino asked sighing heavily as she rubbed her face as her massive pointed pneumonic drills pointed dangerously in the air.

"Oh don't give me that! The only reason you aren't complaining is that you can finally see him without the dman armor! I bet you will take a nice long _bath_ later on with your scroll in the bath and-  
 _WHAP!_  
The girl smacked the boy on the back of his head slamming his face into the table with a messy _whack!_ Slamming his face into his food, covering his face with brown-red juice making him choke on his plate as Zach growled.

 _'Fuck_ was that for?!"  
"For being _rude."_  
Hino answered briefly as Jaune saw a light blush appear on her face as-  
"Oh don't give me that shit _woman_! You damn broad, you are no better than anyone! You just want to take his picture run to the damn shower and jam your fingers so far up your p-  
 _WHACK!_  
She hit the boy again, this time hard enough for his aura to flare green on the table as it _cracked!_ Under his impact as several large hairline fractures appeared in the tables top as he groaned.  
" _God damned broads!_ Never learn their lesson!"  
Zach hissed as he got back up wiping the blood from his lips grumbling as Hino turned to Jaune.

"I _do_ apologize for that he's usually better than this at this time of the day. _And_ Kage you look good with or _without_ your armor."  
Hino said turning her in Jaune's opinion beautiful light brown eyes as Kage ignored her batting eyelashes. Like a large boulder ignores a spring breeze. As ate his meat absentmindedly.  
"I'll feel better when I get a new one. Ruby, you want to come with me to get some armor?'  
Kage asked as Ruby blinked owlishly at him.

 _"Armor? Me?_ You think that I should get armor?"  
Ruby asked as Kage nodded.  
"You seriously should. You are getting hurt more and more I'd suggest you come with me to get evaluated. I'll make sure you get some good stuff." He said shoving a piece of meat in his mouth as Ruby bit into her cookie and turned to Jaune.  
"Jaune-  
"Go Ruby. You need some better protection."  
The boy said smiling at her nodding his head as Ruby smiled.  
"Ok! I'll go with Kage while you go and-

"Get my new armor and weapons. Ludo gave me a requisition card for an official Death Korps commander's weaponry."  
Jaune said a Zach raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Oh? He gave you a _CO req card?_ Nice job blondie! You are about to be armed to the teeth!" Zach said happily raising a glass of water to him as Jaune raised an eyebrow.  
"Zach you are part of the Korps. What weapons should I expect?'  
Jaune asked as the boy scratched his chin as he began to think about the offer.  
"Depends on the quartermaster working there. If he's _good_ , then you should get your pick of the best ranged and melee weapons that we have to offer. If not you are going to pick up on some hand me downs that may or may _not_ work right."

Zach said as Jaune sighed.  
"Great. Now I have something to look forward to." The blonde said bitterly as Zach chuckled.  
"Don't feel too bad blondie! Even _poorly_ working CO gear is better than the crap you had before."

Zach said as Jaune frowned at the insult to his families now lost heirloom. As he frowned at the boy.  
"Hey! That weapon was a classic-  
 _"Antique._ You mean it was an _antique._ It could only _cut, bash_ and _block._ You had no range and you were weighed down by the shield. Hell, even your armor only covered your upper chest and waist. You are going to get a better set of armor either way, so there's that." Zach said swifly as Ruby looked at her red skirt her mechanical eye popping out as she smiled.  
"What type of armor do you think _I_ should get Kage? _OH_! Am I getting to get plate mail like you!?" Ruby asked as Kage actually gave a smile to the girl as he slowly shook his head at her.  
"Somehow I _doubt_ that my armor would work well for you Ruby. You need to have a bit more... _punching power_ to wear it."  
Kage said smiling faintly as Ruby frowned.  
"Hey! I don't like what you are insinuating _Venke Kage!_ Are you saying that I am not strong enough to wear it?"

Ruby asked pouting in an adorable manner puffing out her cheeks adorably as her mechanical eye popped out of her skull as she glared at Kage.  
"No. I am saying that if you ever put on my armor, you would fall over and get trapped in it."

Kage said as Ruby fumed.  
" _HMP!_ Well, we'll see what the Mechanicus has to say! I bet I will make a _great_ plate mail wearer!"

Ruby said as Kage sighed.  
"Whatever you say _Red._ Don't say I didn't warn you though." Kage said smartly as Jaune turned to his last teammate who was busy devouring a lobster dinner as per usual. As she dipped her crustacean in butter and crunched on it loudly.

 _KRUNCH!_  
"Mika, what are your plans today? This is our last day to relax before our mission tomorrow. What do _you_ plan on doing?'

He asked the smiling girl as she devoured her steaming lobster dinner tray. Tearing apart the red crustacean with two hands as she looked up Jaune swallowing a lobster tail as she grinned.  
"Who _me!?_ I'm going to go out and go _shopping!_ "  
Mika said as Jaune blinked owlishly at her.  
"Shopping? For what?'  
"I need a new _pelt_! And I'm feeling _lucky_ today!"

Mika said as Zach shivered.  
" _Bloody psychopath."_ The boy hissed between his teet as Mika smiled happily to herself. Rocking in her seat humming happily as Jaune sighed.

"Well, I gotta go. I have twenty minutes to get to the quartermaster. If I'm not back here for dinner everyone meet in our room by seven. Let's get to bed early for once ok? I want us well rested for tomorrow."  
Jaune said as his team nodded.  
" _Got it."_  
"You said it _~Boss man~!"_  
"We'll be home by _six!"_  
Ruby said as Jaune nodded as he waved bye to Hino and Zach.  
 _"Hino, Zach."_  
"Goodbye Jaune. It was a pleasure to see you again. I hope our next meeting will go better with your current injuries healed.'  
Hino said bowing to Jaune her short dirty brown hair covering her eyes as her massively muscled arms did an intricate pattern in the air as she bowed.  
" _May you walk with the light, and may it's guiding rays light your path in all your endeavors."_  
 _"So says the one true prophet."_  
Kage said finishing the prayer as Zach sighed.  
"Damn _fanatics_ , I say that all religion is bad! It's how people star drinking the punch and wearing all white tracksuits!" Zach said as Hino and Kage shot him a withering glare as he held up his hands.  
 _"Ok! Ok_! Some people."  
Zach said shaking his head as Jaune left the table and began to walk away to the quartermaster.

* * *

The walk to the quartermaster's office was not a long one. As Jaune had made the trek in about twenty minutes. As his scroll's GPS had taken up him up, instead of down into the upper layers of the Bastion campus. Taking him up more massive spiraling staircases. As Jaune saw the walls changed in texture.

As the carved out walls must have been gouged out of a thicker part of the mountain itself. As the walls became a bright grey color as hte looked like crystal were embedded in them. As they shone in the dim light of the now torch lit Bastion hallways. As Jaune navigated the eerily desolated halls following the swing twists and turns of his scroll as he found himself in a long corridor with the word supplies.

Written on a sign above it as Jaune walked down the long narrow corridor to find himself in a reasonably open space where a lone man in a gas mask and flak armor stood behind a large glass window as Jaune blinked at him. "Hello? I am looking for the quartermaster? Do you know where he is?"  
Jaune asked as the gas masked figure turned to him, his? Jaune assumed the gender as the massive hollowed out lidded lenses of the mask turned to face him. As he fought the urge to shiver as the mask seemed to stare at the very bottom of his soul as the figure stared at him. "I am the quartermaster. Who are you?"  
The man now confirmed to be a male asked in a natural tone as Jaune smiled as he walked up to the man.  
"My name is Jaune Arc, I-  
"Ah yes. _Mister Arc,_ I was alerted to your arrival. I have your new commander's equipment available for you. I will retrieve it for you momentarily." The man said in a monotone voice as the figure got up revealing along fling cape over a light brown armor as he walked behind the glass counter and out of Jaune sight. As the sound of shuffling boxes filled the air as he turned to the window with a medium sized brown pack as he placed it down in front of the window as he began to push it to Jaune.

"Here you go. _Standard Death Korps commanders pack._ It comes all _three_ of your new weapons and your new armor and insignia." The man said as he began sliding the pack underneath a small opening in the glass as Jaune pulled the package out seeing how it was not a light pack. Not a heavy one but definitely not light either. As he took out hte pack opened it on its top as he pulled out the first piece of it.  
"What is this?"  
The blonde asked as he pulled out what looked like a sizeable flowing coat with a piece of solid chest plate and leg coverings as the man spoke up.  
"Standard issue Death Korps carapace armor. It will protect you against _most_ small arms fire and will offer you limited environmental protection against most agents."  
The man said as Jaune stared at the folded up pair of pants and chest plate. As he looked further down the bag as he pulled out a bright silver object as the man nodded.  
"Now that is something special son." The quartermaster said as Jaune pulled out a long thin sword. It was a saber of some type. With a long almost brand new silver blade that flickered in the light of the room. It was an _insanely_ light blade less than a quarter of the weight of his old sword, and it had some type of black box? On its handle with several cables running up to the bottom of the sword as Jaune saw an inscription on the hilt of the sword that read _Jurten._ On it as Jaune stared at the weapon.  
"What type of sword is this?"  
Jaune asked swinging the sword in one hand marveling at how light and natural it felt in his hand. As it felt like an extension of his own arm as he swung it in mid-air. It was like the weapon was a part of him, it felt like it was an extension of his own body as the man nodded.

"This pack holds special significance for the Death Korps _Captian Arc._ I have _personally_ picked out a pack for you that holds special significance for us."  
The man said bowing once to Jaune as Jaune froze.  
 _"Captain?_ Who _me?"_  
Jaune asked briefly stunned at his rank as the man nodded.  
"Yes, sir. You are officially a _captain_ in the Death Korps as of twenty-two hundred hours yesterday. And you are now in need of equipment befitting of your ranks. The weapons I give to you belong to the founder of our order Jurten. In them, his spirit lives and I hope they will serve you well."

"Why are you giving me them? If they are so important to you?" Jaune asked as he held up the shiny silver blade felling an overwhelming sense of antiquity and a near spiritual reverence form the sword. As Jaune felt the weight of ages in it as the man sighed.  
"You saved _many_ Death Korps lives in the _Kernel sir_. Even if there are those in our group, who do not think you deserve the title of Captian. _Many_ more remember what you did and the lives you saved not only the but at the fuel depot. You have saved hundreds of our lives, and we remember that."

The man said as Jaune nodded as he went further into his pack. As he reached further into the pack as he felt some type of trigger, as he pulled out a gun. It was a pistol of some sort, over three-quarters of a long and half wide. With a massive barrel and several wires running to the back of it. As Jaune saw serval looping coils running through it as a long blade led further in the bag as Jaune drew out a large box.

Upon first glance, Jaune could tell it was not a projectile weapon. It was apparently an energy type barrel as he saw the cooling cables and long elongs snout of the gun. As he held it up to the light.  
"Is this a laser-  
" _Plasma pistol._ Standard variety, it fires beams of ionized gas at enemies. It should melt anything you face in the field. It has three settings, _single shot, long blast_ , and _charge_. You can change them as you see fit." The man said as Jaune held the admittedly heavy pistol in his hand.  
It was around _twelve pounds_ in weight not that heavy but still _much_ more than a standard sidearm. As he put it down on the pack as he reached further in felling a type of ball? Inside as he reached in and ripped out a _fist?_

Jaune balked as massive _silver fist_ sat in his hands as he blinked owlishly.  
"What is this?"  
Jaune asked holding the massive silver fist as he tried to figure out what the hell it was.

"That's a _power fist_. It will be your back up weapon. It operates similarly to your sword as it uses a field of energy to break open armored opponents. It will serve you _well._ "  
The man said as Jaune nodded as he put the fist down as he emptied the pack before-

"There is one more item _sir._ You need to take it out."  
The masked man said as Jaune felt a massive bulge in the pack as he reached in with both hands. As he reached inside, he saw it. It was a mask, a large gas mask was in both of his hands as he held it up to his face.

"That is a commander's mask sir. It belongs to the captain of the Korps. It is yours now."  
The man said as Jaune held the man, it felt heavy in his hands, as he felt a ball of led in his feet. As the mask seemed to call to him. Asking him to put it on, to don the mask and become-  
 _"I'm fine."_  
Jaune said putting the mask down. He did not like the object; it felt like something was happening with the mask. And he felt as if he put on that mask some part of him would be complete. As he felt a cold shiver run up his spine like he had just been doused in ice water as the man nodded.

"As you say, _sir._ I have given you twelve charge packs for your pistol. They will power it for its ammunition. The amount I have given you should suffice for any mission you embark on until you return. If you need more packs, please come back here for a resupply."  
The man asked as Jaune was slid a small box of small red, black cubes as he nodded.  
"Can I get some _empty_ charge packs?"  
Jaune asked as she swore the man _blinked._  
 _"Empty_ sir? Why would you want an _empty_ power pack?"  
"I just want to try something. Is that ok?''  
Jaune asked as the man hesitated before nodding.

"It _is_ against regulations, but I will make an exception for _you_ sir."  
The man said as he left the glass disappearing for a moment before coming back with more pack.  
"Eight empty charge packs sir. I do not know what you hope to achieve with them but here." The man said holding up the packs to Jaune sliding them under the window as Jaune smiled. "Thank you. I will use these weapons well." Jaune said pulling his new gear together as the man snapped him a sharp salute.  
" _Sir! It was a pleasure to meet you! May the spirit of Jurten protect you, in all your endeavors."_ The man said as he nodded to him.  
"And _you_ as well."  
Jaune replied as he returned the salute as he left the quartermasters office as he left the man and went back to his dorm.

* * *

"Kage! How is my _best_ agent?!"  
The voice of Felicia said as Kage and Ruby walked into the Meachinus office of Bastion as the energetic woman smiled at him.  
"Good. Me _and_ Ruby are here for armor measurements."  
Kage said as Felicia bounced to him her long white robes flowing in the air as her dirty red-blonde hair flowed freely in the air as she walked up to them.  
"So! Does my _best_ man have something especially juicy for me?"  
Felicia asked as Kage smile.  
"Sure do," Kage said as he reached behind his back as the woman smiled like a girl in a candy store.

"OH! Authentic old world tech! What did you bring me? A _weapon? A data slate? A log record?_ Oh! I know! You got me a pice or working archo tech and-  
"Nope! I got you one better.'  
Kage said as he held out the small silver octagon object to Fleica as the woman froze. Like a puppet with its strings cut as her mouth hung open.  
"Kage... is.. is that an _STC?"_

Felicia asked as her voice trembled as her knees began to shake as Kage nodded to her.  
"Not just an STC. It's an STC for _power armor."_ Kage said as the woman looked ready to faint as she began to hyperventilate for a minute before shouting with glee.  
"Oh, Kage! I love you! I knew you would not disappoint me! I'm glad I convinced them to keep you alive in one piece!" Felicia said as Ruby cocked her head.  
" _Alive? One piece?_ Kage what does-  
"You know Ludo wanted it too right? He offered me _double_ for it, but I held on to it. _For old times sake."_ Kage said as the woman stopped her jubilations as she smirked at the boy.  
"Oh, I know the _deal_ Kage! And after this? You are now in the offical good graces of the _Meachicus!_ Now I heard you two wanted new armor?"

Felica asked as she began to droll.

"Yes. Two pairs what can you do?"  
"Well after I have this baby scanned I can get you two and hell! Your whole _team_ the best-damned armor in Remnant! But until then I can _definitely_ improve you two."  
Felica said before taking out a long silver rod as she began to spread the two teens legs measuring their arms and legs for over a minute as she finally stopped and smiled.  
"Ok! I got _both_ of your measurements! Besides armor is there _anything_ else that you would like? We are in your debt after all. If there is something the mechanic can help you with do not hesitate to ask."

The woman said as-  
"Ruby."  
"Yes, Kage?"  
"Have you ever consider the possibility of getting a _sidearm?'_

Kage asked as the girl blinked rapidly at him.  
"A sidearm? No why?"  
"You don't do so well in tight quarters. Your weapon does not do well indoors. You should consider having another weapon as back up." Kage advised as Ruby scratched her chin.  
"I've never thought of it like that. I've never needed anything else but my baby. But maybe I should get a sidearm but where-  
"Right here! Ruby, you are in the perfect place for a sidearm! Let me see how about something tailor-made for up close and personal?"  
Felica asked walking to a metal cubby as Ruby nodded.  
"That sounds good, what do you have?"  
"Just this!"  
The woman said holding out a large blocky black pistol as Ruby cocked her head.  
"Is... Is that an _Uzi?'_  
Ruby asked Kage smirked "Nope kid that is what happens when someone thinks I want a machine pistol and I want a shotgun. But instead of picking one they picked _both_."

Kage said as Felicia handed Ruby the large blocky pistil that was surprisingly heavy but still wieldable as Ruby held it up in one had.  
"What does it shoot?"  
She asked as she begna flicking the gun over with her fingers. Tinkering with it checking its iron sights and ammo capacity as Felica smiled.

"It fires custom made _shaped anti-armor_ charges it fires a rapid discharge of shells that are tailor-made to pierce the toughest armor on Remnant. Its shells will not only penetrate a target they will then explode. In a cloud of shrapnel akin to a buckshot round of a shotgun once inside thier target."

Felica said as Ruby nodded as her mechanical eyes scanned the gun detecting no anomalies in it as she put the weapon to her side.  
"How many rounds in a mag?'  
 _"Fifty_. It first around five a second and oh! Be careful when you shoot it this thing packs one _helluva_ punch, and if you don't hold it to the side, you'll smack yourself in the face with it if you don't carry it right.' Felicia said as Ruby put her gun away as she sighed. "That's nice but do you have anything else for close quarters? I want more than a sidearm and didn't you say my eye could attack?" Ruby asked as the woman nodded.  
"Yes. Your eye has both offensive _and_ defensive capabilities you just need to _focus_ to use them. "

Felicia said a Ruby frowned.  
"Is there any type of short arm I can use? Like something that I can use more reliably that this gun? Uzi's are _not_ known for their accuracy."

"Actually! There is if you would like I can _upgrade_ your new joints and make them _useful_ for you. I know a member of our _inner circle_ that can help you, but you would have to be an ally of the _Meachincus,_ but a little birdie tells me you want to join the Piercing lancers."

Flecia said as Ruby began to frown and-  
"And? Why can't we pick both?'  
Kage said as the woman smiled.

"Playing both sides again Kage? Do you _ever_ learn?"  
Felicia asked the boy as he gave a dark chuckle as she shook his head tot he floor.  
"We both know that I _don't._ "  
Kage said as the woman smirked as Ruby felt that something _terrible_ was about to happen...

* * *

 _"Hello! Hello!_ Is anyone here?!"  
Ruby asked as she walked into a dark room at the far end of Bastion _alone._ As she did, the young reaper was beginning to panic. Not only had she been sent to another part of Bastion she has joined the _Mechanicus_ with Kage! Even if they said they could keep their alliance a secret, Ruby did _not_ like the idea of going behind Jaune' back.

As she navigated the cold dark room her eye filling the room with red light as she avoided the long hanging cables as she sighed.  
"Hello! Is anyone-

 **"Hello, child. What can I do for you?"**  
A deep resonating voice said as it appeared to come from everywhere at once as Ruby gulped.  
"I'm here looking for... _Calarius? Celarius Dahl?"_

Ruby asked as trying to read the scrawled note in her hand as a low chuckle filled the room.  
" **My child, did you mean _Belisarius Crawl?"_**

"Yeah! That's him, are you Crawl?'  
Ruby asked as a massive red form fell from _somewhere_ as a large robbed _man,_ with several clicking blue goggles covering his face appeared in front of her as she gulped.

" **Yes, that is me, my child, now why are you here?'**  
"Felicia told me to come here and see you. She said you could help me?'  
Ruby asked holding up a small letter as the thing? Took, it in a grappling metal arm as it began to laugh.

 **"My child, are you the ones who brought _us_ the STC?"**

The _man_ asked as Ruby nodded.

"Yes! That's us! We brought you the STC! I wanted to know if you could help me _upgrade_ my arm?" Ruby asked as the man began to chuckle.  
" **Oh, my child if a better armament is what you want then I can _help_ you...**

* * *

 _So this is me?_ Jaune thought as he looked at his new weapons laid out on his bed. Laid out left to right was his new armaments. A _plasma pistol,_ a _power saber_ , and a _power fist_. All originally the property of one _Jurten_. As Jaune looked at the sword, the insanely light weapon that felt like a part of his own body.  
As he flicked a small lever on its hande as it roared to life.  
 _KZZTT!_ A field of flickering crackling energy flowed from the sword as its energy field enveloped it. As Jaunes nose flinched as he smelled the tantric smell of ozone in the air as he swung the sword twice as he depowered the sword as he picked up the pistol.

The gun now glowed a light blue as it's fresh power packs glowed an ominous light blue as Jaune smiled. Charging the empty power packs with his aura was a risky move, but it paid off in the end. As he fired the gun at the Bastion weapons, range the glowing blue ball of hotly ionized gas utterly obliterating the target dummy. As the firearm dissolved the target into blue slag as Jaune saw that no matter what power pack he used, be it regular or charged by his own aura it was just at good.

That will save me some time. Jaune thought as he put the pistol down as he picked up his last weapon. The power fist. He put the fist on his left hand. The one that also held his sword. As he flicked another flick as a similar field of crackling energy flowed toward the power fist. Encasing it in a crackling blue energy as he swung the fist thrice in mid-air. Feeling the weight of the weapon like a wrecking ball as he smiled and put it down.

After checking all his new weapons, Jauen went for the final test of his new outfit. The official Death Kops commanders gear that was now draped around him as he walked into the ARKM bathroom mirror as he looked at his changed form and frowned. Jaune was different, there was no denying that. As he looked at his altered form in the mirror. No longer was he the same goofy, lovable knight that came into Beacon. That part of him had died in the dead lands as he looked at the new Jaune in the mirror.

Gone was his perpetual smile now replaced with a constant hard _frown_. As his bottom lip was forever angled downward as he looked like he was constantly frowning at something.

His once warm blue eyes were gone replaced by _hard_ cerulean orbs, which sent chills down his own spine. As they glared harshly into his soul. As the sharp blue eyes attempted to cut anything that came inot their vision as he looked at his face.

Gone was the smooth baby face that had once held the face of Pyrrha Nikkos. Now there was a long line of scars running from his forehead to his neck and beyond. Courtesy of whatever the hell that thing was int he ruins. As the long messy scars ran down his face making him looked like a grizzled veteran as he rubbed his cheek.

The side of his face was no better. Also ripped and torn by the claws of the best giving him a torn apart appearance as he sighed. _Looks like Pyrrha won't be calling me cute again huh?_ He thought in a depreciating manner as the face of his girlfriend briefly flickered through his mind, or maybe ex as the fact that he was for all intents and purposes dead to the world outside of Bastion put one helluva downer of thier relationship.

And as much as he swore to Ruby Jaune honestly did _not_ think he would see her again. Or Ruby, her own team as the realities of Bastion life, just kept getting worse and worse as the odds of them surviving seemed to be dropping on a daily bases as she sighed deeply as he rubbed his head.  
What was once his face was gone and would never come back. He needed to accept that. He thought he looked down to his final change his _outfit._

As his once trademarked bunny hoddie and heart-shaped chest plate was long gone replaced by this... the official Death Korps officers outfit as Jaune started from the bottom up.

After putting on his long black combat pants, Jaune was now waring trademark Death Korps officer boots. Massive black combat boots that went from his feet up to his knees. As they cover half of his leg in a tight-fitting firmly made material that was well insulated and apparently nearly complete weather retarded as it was made for all types of combat environments.

From there came the centerpiece of his armor his carapace. A shining bronze thing with a long _red sash_ over it that covered his whole chest and back in what was without a shadow of a doubt a better type of armor than his old one. As instantly upon felling it, Jaune could tell it was far, _far_ denser and robust and weighed about _half_ as much of his old one.

As he slid it on his chest as it slid over the already tightly constricting under a suit of his armor as the inner dark _carapace armor_ that protected the rest of him from small arms fire and other hazards and was able to offer him _limited_ protection from heavier munitions. It wouldn't stop a damn tank round but it might stop a wall of shrapnel from eviscerating him at the least.

The boy thought as he looked at his new armor and gave a small smile. Jaune was just glad he had full body armor now, mainly that his aura would not be as charged with keeping him safe as his body was now nearly fully encased in protection. As a long flowing trench coat flowed from behind him covering his back.

 _At least I have a cape._ Jaune thought as he looked at the last piece of his equipment his mask...  
Jaune did not want to wear that thing... It was a massive pitch black mask that held twin breathing units to it. And was a nearly pitch black just like the rest of his outfit. It had deep soulless eyes on its front that gave it an almost insectile appearance that made Jaune's blood freeze as even to hold the thing sent a shiver down his spine.

He had no idea what the hell it was about the thing that terrified him so much, but Jaune knew that if he put on that mask a part of him would die forever. And he would change. As he sighed again putting the mask down as he looked at the mirror. Shivering at the cold, rough face that looked back at him.

No longer did his body give off a sense of lackadaisicalness and clam but now it radiated cold efficiency and callous pragmatism. As he grimaced once in the mirror as he picked up his mask, holstering his weapons as he began to walk outside.

He had spent enough time in the damned mirror, Jaune changed _so what?_ It didn't matter what he felt emotions were irrelevant, form now on Jaune cared about _three_ things only. _One._ Keeping his team safe. _Two_ Making sure Ruby was _happy._ And _three_ pipe dream or not getting back into Beacon alive and seeing his old friends? He left that thought hand as he pushed his thoughts of his past life to the back of his head as he marched to the door there was a mission to do, and _he_ needed to do it.

* * *

 **AN: Ok! Here it goes! The team is back! The weapons are made! _Everyone_ is going to get some new _gear_ and a reference to a madman!? What's next? best the next chapter which will be _interesting!_ Besides that, the story is going strong and it's not stopping! Thaks for reading and until next time _Game on_ is next! Along with it's two hundred subscriber special! So if you like that fic or want to see something different and like my work check it out! Until then? _Omake._**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant._ Part fourteen. _No easy life_**

Death. It was a part of life, just like breathing eating or drinking, Jaune knew this as much as the next poor bastard but that did _not_ mean he had to like it. Oh no Jaune Ciaphis Arc was not going to die for a long _long_ time. And if he could have any say in it he was going to live until everything that wanted to kill him died. Not that the wants and needs of a man mattered much in this world. With the ravaging hordes of Grimm, genocidal faunus and his fellow imperial citizens all trying to kill him life was going to be doing its damnedest to put him down. As he sat in the back of the command _Chimera_ were the damn inquisitor was still giving him bedroom eyes. In the _worst_ case of subtlety, Jaune had ever seen as he laid in the back of the rocking vehicle as he waited for death.

Well, that might be a bit more dramatic than necessary as Jaune was not _guaranteed_ to die. Not really, he was just going on a suicide mission deep underground with not but an untested command squad made up of penal legionaries. An inquisitor that wanted to take him into a private room for _interrogation_ and a screaming faunus girl named Raquel who everyone called _Blake_ for some reason. That was currently hissing at Ren. Calling him the _VOID!_ Of all things as the faunus hissed at Ren making him blink owlishly at her. As the unflappable man was more than a bit miffed at why the faunus girl was so determined to call him _the void._ As Ren served Jaune tea.

"Tea sir?"

"Thanks, Ren."

Jaune said as the took the tea from Ren as he took a deep drink from it as he sighed heavily. Life was once again doing her damndest to put Jaune into the earth and he was once again determined not to let it. Jaune did not live for all these damned years fighting humans, faunus Grimmand quite literally every other thing Oum threw his way. From monsters form the _space_ between worlds or damned skeletal horrors once again Jaune found out the hard way that in the end. The number one threat to his life was not monsters, madman, lasers, claws, bombs or flame. It was _a woman_. Specifically, the redhead inquisitor that had _insisted_ Jaune come with her on this mission. As they prepared to embark _alone_ to purge whatever the hell was in her own words _infecting_ the city. As she had so far _refused_ to say anything but _trust me._

As the command vehicle roared along the broken road Jaune sighed. He was down to his las pistol and chainsword, bot fully charged and polished. Ren had his melta gun and his command squad was _aware_. Mercury still had his back when not insulting and or flirting with Emerald. Penny was still blushing at Oscar as the medic and private had formed some type of stress based relationship over the last few days. And Arslan had her massive _lmg_ in hand as the command vehicle slid to a grinding stop as the chimer slid to a crunching halt as a lump formed in Jaune's heart. As the vehicles, inner light became blood red as the lower ramp slammed down. As he surged up weapons ready as he rapidly looked at his surroundings as Pyrrha smiled at him.

"You ready _commissar?"_

The inquisitor asked as she undressed him with her eyes as Jaune sighed. As the two stood at the end of the door as their individual teams formed up behind them as Jaune spoke up.  
" _Ladies first."_

' _How chivalrous._ I think I'm falling for you Arc."

The woman said licking her lips as Jaune felt a clod shiver fall down his spine as she gave a fake smile to her.

"As you say, my lady."  
Jaune said as two steeped out of the command vehicle and off to face their destiny.


	31. Pillar one Take a little pill

**An: Well here it is! The next exciting chapter of Bastion! I know it's been a while but I've been busy recently so here it is! I hope you like it! In this chapter, Jaune gets used to his new threads. Kage shows a more _personal_ side. Hino helps ou her friend and Ruby finds _god!_ What could possibly go wrong? Also! In this chapter, I've been promising it and promising it but here it comes! I've been promising you a reunion with Beacon characters and here it is! The beacon _reunion_ chapter! I hope you are ready for it!**

 **PS. BEACON REUNION!**

 **PSS. Also! Stay tuned after the AN for some chapter notes and some set up for the story!**

* * *

This was it, Jaune thought as he sat down in the ARKM dorm was he looked at his pistol. The glowing blue side arms stilled seethed with visceral energy as Jaune held up his plasma pistol to his face. The weapon was well worn and had clearly seen bitter fighting over its years. As Jaune looked over the weapon he let out another heavy sigh as his hand flickers to his other new armament. The power saber once the property of Jurten. Was in his other hand and unlike the pistol, it looked pristine like it had just been shot off the assembly line.

As Jaune heald the ancient blade in one had. It was lighter than his old sword by a factor of easily ten. And if felt more natural in his grip in less than a few hours of it's the first gift to him the _Crocea Mors_ felt in his entire life. As he flickered the sword around in his had. It called to him on some instinctual level. As Jaune felt like the weapon was communicating to him. Whispering things into his ears that he could not make out as he held up the shining silver blade to his face.

"What are you trying to tell me?"  
Jaune asked his weapon as it seemed to writhe in his grip as the light of his dorm danced around the silver tip as he let out another heavy sigh putting away the sword and flexing his left arm where his powerfist rested comfortably in his left hand. His last weapon forms the quartermaster was a brutal weapon in his own words close quarters weapon that could break open a deathstalker with on hit a terrifying but intriguing prospect if it was proven to be true. Not that Jaune wanted to get close enough to deathstalker to have punching it in the face a feasible option that is. He was already less than likely to survive long enough to back to Beacon and punching ancient Grimm in the face for anyone that was not Hino really looked to be a recipe for disaster.

The blonde boy thought as she sighed once again, rubbing his hair and wondering what the hell he was going to do about this. The boy had a mission to go to soon, and he had to lead team ARKM out once again. Making sure that his team stayed safe to make sure that Ruby was safe and that they all made it back to the dorm in one piece. Had to make him get back in one piece, as it seems that every time they left the room, they would lose more and more of their own flesh. As Ruby had lost the majority of her original body as it was replaced with metal...

A disturbing idea to Jaune as he thought about the path she would head down if she kept on losing body parts. Or him at this rate, Jaune was luck most if not all of his injuries were healed by time in the mechanicus area but if this kept up?  
"We are going to be more metal than anything," Jaune said tiredly as he rolled his eyes and-  
"Were back." A calm voice said as Venke and Ruby walked into the room as Venke sighed heavily as Ruby fluttered over to Jaune. Slamming into him on a wave of rose petals as she wrapped him in a hug her eye whirring as Jaune rubbed the back of her head affectionately. "Hey Rubes, how'd it go with the mechanicus?"  
 _"Great_! I got a new gun! Wanna see!? _Huh!? Huh!?"_  
Ruby asked bouncing on the balls of ther feet with a childlike joy as Venke sighed.  
 _"Please_ say that you do. She's been like this the whole way back."  
Venke said with a tired but happy look as Jaune smiled at his friends in Bastion. As Ruby smiled widely as she drew her new sidearm.  
"What is that?" Jauena sked as Ruby pulled out what looked like a machine pistol and-  
"It's a shotgun uzi!" Ruby said happily as Jaune scratched his head.  
 _A Shoozi?_ Jaune thought giving the weapon a nickname as Ruby smiled happily at him.  
"So it's a-  
"It's _exactly_ what she said that it was. It's an Uzi that shoots shotgun grade ammunition." Kage said as Jaune raised a lone eyebrow to him as Kage sighed.  
"I had the same reaction when I first saw it. But! She wanted the shotgun uzi, so she get's the shotgun uzi. Right?" The boy said shrugging openly as Jaune rubbed his head. "Well as long as it keeps you safe."  
"It does! It's the best ever!" Ruby said cradling the weapon like a newborn baby looking at it like a proud mother does a newborn or well Ruby with any type of new weapon. Which turns out to be pretty similar and-  
"It's top of the line Bastion grade armaments! I'm glad you like it!"

A familiar voice said as Jaune turned his head as the door to team ARKM's door opened as Felicia came inside their room bringing with her twin square size holders as she smiled openly to team ARKM. "Felica? How did you open our door?" Jaune asked in more curiosity than anything as the woman had opened a door that Jaune knew so far that only he or a staff member coudl-  
"I have a skeleton card!" She said happily as Jaune gave Kage a look for confirmation to the legitimacy of her skeleton card. As Kage sighed and nodded to Jaune. Giving him the look of it was better not to ask than get dragged down into a conversation, about the specific words on the item as Felica walked up to Ruby her sandy blonde hair shaking in her white robes as the acolyte of the mechanicus walked over to Ruby as a long metallic tendril exited her hood from somewhere...  
In her body, as she examined Ruby's new _toy._  
"Tell me Ruby have you tested this weapons combat capability? I am eager to see if it approaches out optimal numbers that I have predicted to be shown. This _auto mauler_ is designed for up close, brutal combat situations and was made for damage and fire rate but not! Accuracy in mind, it was how you say designed with the _spry and pray_ mindset? I am curious to see how it performs so tell me the results should you survive." Felica said as Jaune grimaced at her casual mention of the possible, the genuine possibility of Ruby's death. As he stood up.  
"Well, my weapon is made for range, up close _and_ afar," Jaune said holding up his plasma pistol as it glowed a seething teal as the woman smiled.  
"Oh? _Plasma? Typical_ Death Korps, bight stong blunt but very _effective._ That is! A good weapon assuming that it doesn't' blow up on you after your first reload." The woman said grinning smugly as Jaune blanched.  
"Blow up!? This thing explodes?"  
"Oh! You didn't know? If you fire the plasma pistol to fast and don't take time to let it coll off, there is a _slight!_ Slight chance that it will explode like a plasma grenade and kill you and almost everything around you in boiling ball of gooey energy." Felica said with a happy smile as Jaune's face lost its color.  
"That's terrible!"  
"I know! Speaking of bad weaponry, I see that they also give you some armor? _Tsk. Tsk._ It's good! For the Death Korps mind you but! Jaune luckily for you and since you have been such! A boon tot he mechanicus cause I have come bearing gifts!"  
Felica said as Jaune raised his eyebrow to her. "Gifts like what?"  
" Gifts like _these! "_  
Felica said unbundling the strange square items she had in her hand to reveal twin glowing armor-

" _Pauldrons?"_  
Venke asked as Jaune saw what looked, to be a miniature version of his old shield. Each only half the size of his ole armor but a bright. Bright yellow color and much thicker than his old shield as Felicia nodded.  
"It has been relayed to me that you have lost your shield along with your sword so here! We come bearing a gift for you with the assistance of not one, but two! New shields for you! Try them out!"  
Felica said walking over to Jaune and holding out one of the shields to him.  
"Hold you your arm."  
Felica said as Jaune paused hesitating once before sighing and doing as she asked.  
Instantly the woman held out the shield as it _latched_. Onto Jaunes armor. As she shields seemed to fuse with his carapace locking itself into place as Jaune rotated his arm noticing that it was surprisingly light? As the shield weight lees the four pounds as he moved his arm with almost no additional difficulty.  
"What are these?"  
Jaune asked starring at his new shield? Pauldron as Felica gained a devilish smirk.  
"These are you _new_ shields! While having carapace armor is all well and good! It is recommended that you also have a strong physical amount of protection to go along with you! These are the top of the line best quality mechanicus handmade defensive items! Check this out!"  
Felicia said holding up the other shield in both arms as she pointed it's flat surface to Jaune.

"Activate your swords _disruption_ field and slash it!"  
"The _what_ field?"  
"Make it go _Sparky!"_  
She said in an irritated tone as Jaune took out his new sword flicking the switch on its side as it began to glow as Ruby cooed.  
"So cool! You have to let me see it!" Ruby almost whined as Jaune flicker on his sword. As the smell of ozone filled the air as Fleica grinned.

"Oh? A _power saber?_ Now that is a _real_ weapon! Even with our standards! Now take that sword and slash this shield!"  
"Why?"  
"Just trust me ok?!"  
Felica said as Jaune shrugged his shoulders waving his sword back before slid down on it cutting a deep groove into the metal. As the tip of his sword _bit_ into the reinforced metal of her shield as Jaune saw the weapon leave a deep smoldering line as-  
 _It moves?_ Jaune thought as the shield began to shift? And morph as it changed its composition as it moved? Jaune watched in awe as them metal shield began to slither and congeal as it began to _knit_ itself? Jaune froze in shock as he saw the shield started to heal? Was the only word to describe what he saw as the metal began to reform itself where it was damaged and-  
"Fancy huh?" Felicia asked as the metal actually self-repaired itself returning to its former perfect place as Jaune balked.  
"What the hell was that?"  
"It's called _living metal!_ Whenever this shield is damaged or in _anyway_ harmed, deformed or altered from its original state it will act like a living being and begin to self-repair! As long as you keep it away from the fighting, it will be a great addition to your defensive measures!"  
Felicia said as Jaune's jaw dropped as the shield was back to normal in less than a minute. As the metal self-healed and-  
"Is there any other surprises you have for me?" Jaune said still in with the metal as Fleica winked at him.  
"Sure do! Check this out!"

The woman said reaching into her robes and drawing a small pistol of all things pointing it at Ruby and-  
 _BANG!_  
She fried the weapon on full auto aiming it right at Ruby as the small girl jerked and shook as over _thirty_ bullets slammed into her.  
 _"Ruby?!_ What are you-  
"I'm fine Jaune! Look! No harm!"  
Ruby said shaking her skirt and top as the bullets fell off? As her clothes glowed blue and-  
"I upgraded her usual outfit. Now it's almost _entirely_ bulletproof with enhancing kinetic absorption! It will take a lot more to take this girl down next time. Maybe you won't even have to come to see me!"  
Flecia said as Ruby laughed as she ran to face kage as Felica whispered into his ear.  
"I also took a couple inches _off_ her skirt, just for you."

The woman said running Jaune's elbow with her own as Jaune blanked before Ruby bent over to tie her boot as Jaune was flashed a look at a _lacy_ black g string!? Of all things as his face went redder than tomato and-  
"Not bad _huh?_ " Felica asked as Jaune gulped. Looking at his friend's exposed underwear and did _not_ say a damned thing. He needed something in Bastion as Felicia smirked at him. Jaune still blushing fiercely from his glimpse at Ruby's admittedly lacy panties as he blushed as Fleica snickered.  
"What's wrong Jaune? See something you _like?"_ The woman asked her bow eye grinning with mischief as Jaune glared at her.

"Yes, I _did_ see something that I liked. Is that a problem?" Jaune asked the tech acolyte as she tossed her head back with a high shrill laugh that sounded like it was coming from a speaker system rather than a human larynx and set Jaune' teeth on edge. "Not at all! I was just curious to see if you like her upgrade-  
"OH! I forgot! Jaune I got an _upgrade!"_  
Ruby said suddenly blurring out Jaune her prosthetic eye popping out of her head and whirring at him as it blinked? In a disturbingly human and charming fashion as Jaune smiled at her.  
"Upgrade what do you mean?"  
He asked a ruby began to smirk at him.  
"Check me out!"  
She said pointing her right arm at him, angle it towards his face as it _exploded._ In one second Ruby's ear burst open as Jaune froze as all of a sudden ther was a very long black blade at his throat as his eyes widened in shock as Ruby's arm popped open to reveal a long pointy black _sword_ sticking out from it. Now mere inches away from Jaune's jugular and gleaming menacingly.  
 _"SEE!_ I got an upgrade! What do you think about it?! Isn't it cool!?" Ruby asked smiling happily as Jaune took a moment to gather the facts that had a sword to his throat before turning to Kage and fixing him with an icy glare that coudl cut iron.

"I had _no_ knowledge of this," Kage said flatly in his usual tone-deaf Montone voice, Thought he did look slightly less dead to the world as his eyes widened in shock as seeing Ruby poking out a long sharp black sword form her right arm as she grinned happily at Jaune. "So! What do you think!? Isn't it the coolest thing ever?!" Ruby asked gushing with pride as she waved her wickedly sharp sword threatening calls to his face. As Jaune froze as he turned this icy glare to Felica.  
"What did you do?" He asked girning his teeth and-  
"Oh, nothing really! I just saw that most of Ruby's injuries came from close quater fighting. And even after giving her a pistol I decided to give her arm an upgrade." Flecia said smugly as Jaune ground his teeth.  
"You turned her arm into a _sword!"_  
"Not really! Most of her right arm was already metal so what's the harm? At least like this, she can defend her self if anyone gets to close to her you know?" Felica asked a Ruby _poked_ the air.  
"See Jaune! It's no problem! I can even _poke_ people now! Like _this! Take that!_ And _that!_ " Ruby said in a sharp voice meant to sound harsh as she _poked_ the air. "See! I can now stab people with it! I'm all like poke! Poke!" Ruby said jabbing her sword forward like a spear as Jaune felt deeply off-put by the weapon sticking out of Ruby's arm as he glared at Felica.  
"Who pus this... sword? Into her?"  
"Oh! That was _Crawl!_ He is a senior member of the mechanicus and-  
'Oh! I almost forgot! Jaune I heard from Venk and Ruby that you are looking to join a Bastion faction? is that true?"  
Flecia asked a glimmer in her eyes as Jaune held her glare.

"Yes. But we are already decided that we are joining the _lancers_ so yeah, we won't need to join you-  
"Is that so? Well! If you do want to help yourselves and continue with more... _upgrades!_ I'll have you know that the Mechanicus will welcome you all with open arms!" Felica said waving her arms as Jaune held the woman's glare as he felt deeply bothered by just how happy Felica seemed as he kept a neutral glare.  
"Sorry, thanks but no thanks-  
"Jaune! Don't be so quick to judge! I know that you are hell bent on joining the lancers of all people. Though it makes some sense that you would join that bunch of _goody two shoes. Figures."_ The woman grumbled losing her cherry demeanor before smiling brightly as she smirked at Jaune. "Sorry! I get a bit too excited sometimes!" The acolyte said as she smiled as Jaune glared at her.  
"Ok... So what do you want? We are not joining the mechanicus-  
"But! Just because you don't want to see good sense does not mean that we can not have a... productive! Relationship!" The woman said as Jaune raised his eyebrow at her. "Productive? The hell does that mean?"  
"Simple! You see as a special! Group of Bastion we have our _own_ rules place upon us!"  
"Like what?"  
"Well, you see since we are not a _field!_ Faction of the Bastion staff we are forbidden from actually leaving the school grounds. And! We can not really accompany the other factions on missions, which make our mission a bit.. _. complicated."_

The woman said as her brown eyes took on a sharp glare as Jaune raised his eyebrow at her. "Your mission? What even is your mission?" The blonde boy asked the tech acolyte as she grinned at Jaune.  
"Simple! Jaune we at the mechanicus exit to find, preserve and refurbish old world technology! And we can not do that mission without going into the field!"  
"But you can't go into the field."  
 _"Exactly_! We can't leave Bastion, but you can! That's where you come in!" The woman said as Jaune held her glare.  
"What do you want from us?"  
"Easy. I'm not asking you to join us, though I wish you would! We can offer you the best! And I do mean the best equipment and devices to _maximize_ your survivability!" The woman said as Jaune said nothing as she sighed.  
"Fine, be that way. What I'm asking you is this. Allow us to install an _app_ on your scrolls."  
"An app?"  
"Yes. We have developed a tracker, of sorts that can find and detect valuable or world technology, such as but not limited to, data slates audio logs, weaponry or even prized STC's like you have received earlier. If when you do find this ties, I only ask that you, please return them to us."  
And if we do so?"

"We will make it worth your while. You will be _well_ compensated for all of your actions for the mechanicus of this I assure you as an acolyte of the priesthood." She said bowing as Jaune sighed heavily shaking his head.  
"Fine. We'll be on the lookout for any... devices for you. But this better to get in the way of us joining the Lancers or bite us in the ass Flecia. You hear me? I want this to be a simple _quid pro quo_ deal ok?

"You got it! Simple deals are often the best ones after all! You shall see how the mechanicus makes it worth your while as we reward those that are good to us." The woman said flashing Jaune an icy smile that chilled his spine as he glared at her...

* * *

Ruby was having a _great_ day! As she ran through the cold hallways of Bastion, leaving a trail of red roses as she ran through the empty corridors, she was on a break after her new upgrade and seeing how she and her team only had four hours before their next mission Ruby was going to make the most of it! By doing what she did best in Bastion on her downtime training! She was going to go to the targeting range check out her now gun a-  
 _WHAP!_  
Ruby slammed into a something soft but thicker than a brick wall as she let out aloud oof! As she bounced back from something significant and firm as she landed flat on her face rear up and moaned.  
" _Owwie... that hurt!"_  
Ruby moaned loudly feeling her aching head an-  
 _"Ruby? Are you ok?"_  
A familiar voice as Ruby felt a shadow fall over her head as something _pressed_ on her rear.  
"Hey!?"  
Ruby shouted face light up to match the color of her face as someone hand press on her rear end as she wheeled around only to freeze as a pair of soft brown eyes held her glare.  
"Hino?" Ruby asked any fear of the shadow melting away in an instant as the gentle smile of her friends face warmed her heart.  
"Your panties were showing, you don't want to give the school a sneak peak do you?" Hino asked in a gentle voice that reminded Ruby painfully of Yang's but without the Yangness of her elder sibling. With a warm, friendly smile on her thin pink lips as she blushed bright than her cloak using her semblance to zip up as she blushed brightly.  
"I'm sorry! I-  
"It's ok. Where are you off to in such a hurry that you did not look for directions?" Hino aksed smiling openly at Ruby her short dirty blonde hair light shift as Ruby gulped.  
"Well I don't really have a place I need to be, I was going to the weapons range to test out my new gun but-  
"Oh? You are going to the weapons range? If you do not have a place to be would you mind accompanying me? I have a place to be, and I think you would like it _very_ much." Hino asked lightly bowing to Ruby as her dirt blond hair shuffled as the light caught on her massive drills as she raised her hands.  
As the dim Bastion lights lit up her pneumonic drills as Ruby cocked her head.  
"What are you doing?"  
Ruby ake tilting her head in curiosity as her eye whirred out as Hino smiled.  
"I'm going to _mass._ And I think you like to accompany me to it." Hino said as Ruby blinked owlishly.  
"Mass? What's _mass?"_  
"I'm goign to _church_ Ruby. The church of the light. I think you would like it, and I know that I would like it very much if you would come with me." Hino asked as ruby coked her head.  
"What is the church of the _light?"_  
"The church of the light is the church that I have and my entire life. It is an invigorating and deeply personal church that is great for cleansing you of your doubts. I think that you would find it very appealing. What say you? Do you want to accompany me to mass?" Hino asked as Ruby tilted her head thinking about it for a moment before smiling.  
"Sure! What's the worst that coudl happen?" Rubya sked as Hino lightly gripped her by the arm and smiled...

* * *

"Where _am_ I?" Ruby asked aloud as Hino smiled warmly as Ruby was bent on her knees kneeling next to the body of Hino as they both sat in the middle rows of a line of wooden pews, as they kneel surrounded by other Bastion students. Most if not all of them faunus as Ruby and Hino were some of if not the _only_ human students in the congregation as she bent on her hand and knees.  
The room they were in was massive, at least two stories tall and very wide, filled with over a dozen large wooden pews on all sides with lush red carpets alogn the floor. As a seat was raised in the center was a large faunus with white mouse? Ears on him dressed in a large white robe as he spoke to the mass as he ended the ceremony.  
"Now _go_ my children! Go in peace as the light has commanded! Remember our guiding principles, my children! Follow the seven and the light will _always_ walk with you."  
 _"And also with you."_ The masses of students retracted as one as the mass finally began to end and-  
"Now go in peace, and act as the light has commanded you to." The man said bowing as the shuffling of feet filled the air as Ruby look owlishly at the departing faunus students.  
Ruby had never been a very religious people before, she had heard of church and religion but she never really got into hit but now?  
Now Ruby was rethinking her position on the matter. The chur of the light? Was different than anything she had ever been to.  
As soon as she walked into the church as she felt _it._ She felt _warm_ like she was wrapped in a warm blanket as she instantly felt like all of her problems felt like they were melted away from her. As she felt an overwhelming sense of peace and calm fill her mind.  
It was like she was free, in a warm flowing void as she lost track of time and felt like she was floating in an _endless fathomless warm bubble!_

It was warm and soft and made her feel like her mind was slipping as soon as she sat down to pray to the light and-  
 _"Now_! If there are any new members of our flock, I invited them all to come to see me for a personal invitation to the church." The man said as Ruby coked her head as Hino put a massive fist on her shoulder her brown eyes shimmer with what looked like fire? As she smiled at her.  
"Ruby. Would you like to meet the father?" Hino asked as Ruby felt that same light warm feeling enter her mind as she felt her eyelids go heavy as even her fake eye began to shire slowly as it shut it's visor as Ruby nodded weakly.  
"Yeah... I'd love to." Ruby said in an addled voice as Hino smirked at her.  
"Good. Let us be off." Hino said lifting the off girl up off the pew putting it back up with her foot before taking Ruby to the front of the church to meet the _father._

* * *

 _"Hino!_ How is one of my favorite child? Doing well I hope?" The man a large mouse? Faunus with a flowing white robe and a large scepter in his hand acting like a walking stick as his sharp brown eyes glittered like they were burning? Ruby thought as she swore she saw a _flickering flame?_ In them, as he smiled warmly at her.  
"Ahh! A new child to my _flock!_ Tell me, child, what is your name?" The man asked his voice _burning_ with passion as Ruby felt her mind fall into that same warm fluffy void of nothingness, as she felt her jaw drop as she fell to her knees.  
 _"Ruby... Ruby Rose..._  
She said in a distant far off voice as the man smiled.  
"It is nice to meet you, Ruby, it is _always_ nice to welcome a new lamb inot my flock. My name is _Erebus._ I am the father of the church and I act as the _word bearer_ of the light and I welcome you to the church of the light with open arms." The man said waving his arms up as Ruby nodded in a slow off-kilter motion as she smiled at him.  
"Thank you, father... I-  
"Tell me, child, how are you _feeling?_ Do you feel _lost? Unfulfilled?_ Like you are not in control of your own destiny?" The man asked as Ruby gasped! As she felt the temperature of the room raise, as it was like someone had lit up a space heater as a thin layer of sweat developed on her face as she gulped loudly.  
"Yes... I do feel lost, unfulfilled like I am not in control of my own destiny." Ruby replied in a low monotone voice as her pupils suddenly dilated and expanded to nearly encompass her who eye as the man smiled.  
"I see. I know how that is my daughter. To be _lost_ , to be _alone_ to be _afraid._ Tell me my child do you feel afraid? I know you and your partner Jaune who is the reason I am preaching here today after he was revealed as our savior. Tell me Ruby are you _afraid?"_  
The man asked as the temperature of the room jumped, even more, to near scorching degrees as Ruby nodded her face now slick with sweat as her combat outfit gripped her thin form. Sticking to her like a wet bag as she nodded.

"I... I am _afraid.._. I don't _want_ to die. I want to go home... I want to see my family... I want Jaune-  
"Ah. Our _savior._ I know him well. He is a _true_ figure of the, and he is chosen by the light. As are you, you know? " Erebus asked his eyes crackling as flickering orange light burnt behind them as Ruby nodded.

"Chosen? Like me?" "Ah yes, my _daughter_. Even if you were not his partner and our savior's friend. Your eye is proof enough of your significance to the _light._ Do you like that child? Do you want to be _significant_ in life and not meaningless? Would you like for the light to give you your purpose?" The man asked as his voice _burning_ Ruby's face as she felt the rooms temperature skyrocket as she began to pant and fall as she nodded her head weakly.  
"Yes... I want to be significant."  
Ruby said as her eye fully expanded as her pupil fully encompassed her right eye as he nodded.  
" _Good_. Do you accept the light as your _savior?"_  
The man asked raising his scepter high above his head, the metal rod catching the light of the temple room as a large golden eagle snatching the light of the temple flickering like a shining star as Ruby nodded as her body was drawn into the heat.  
"Yes. I accept th _e light!"_  
"Then I bless you and welcome you to our **flock.** " The man said touching her shoulder with his scepter as Ruby shook an shuddered like a wire was in her as ther body felt like it was in a raging inferno as the man tapped her shoulder, as his eyes began to light and _burn._ As a wave of heat escaped from him as the man began to glow as Ruby swore he looked like the _sun..._

* * *

"The _fuck_ is that?" Jaune asked as he walked out of the team ARKM bathroom ready to go see Ludo for his next mission as Kage was taking a pill? Jaune thought as the boy had a small box of numerous _red and blue pills,_ with a calendar on top of them as he swallowed one slowly as he turned his light brown eyes to Jaune.  
"Sure am boss," Kage said swallowing his pill taking a small cup of water n his head. During a plastic container as Jaune coked his head looking at the calendar on his bed as he saw number _two hundred and forty_ written on the top of it as Jaune cocked his head.  
"What's that number for?"  
"The day when my pills run out?" Kage said merely taking the box of red and blue pills all stacked in neat see-through cubbies and sliding them under his pillow as Jaune frowned.  
"What happens when you run out of pills?"  
" _I die,"_ Kage said merely in his usual monotone voice as Jaune froze.  
"You are dying?! You have a terminal disease-  
" _Sure do._ And when these pills run out? I'm deader than dirt." Kage said matter of factly as Jaune's eyes widened as he took two quick steps forward.  
"What's wrong with you? How long have you had this condition? How can you fix-  
"In order? Let's just say I've had it for over a year, it's a _progressive_ condition and _no_. Ther is _no_ medical technique even in Bastion that can save me. Trust me I've looked." Kage said his light brown eyes betrayed no trace of emotion as Jaune felt a thing in his chest.

"Kage you can't-  
 _"All_ men die boss. I'm no different. Neither is Ruby or Hino. We _all_ die my times just almost up." He said matter of factly not showing _any_ emotions as Jaune frowned.  
"But! How do you know? Maybe we can get help and-  
"Jaune. These pills are a _godsend._ And the only reason I am alive is that-  
"Your pills! If they keep you alive, then they must have been manufactured somewhere! If we can make more of them-  
"We _can't._ I've tried. Trust me, I don't know who the hell made them but these pills are one of a kind!"  
"How do you know they can't be made? where did you find them?"  
"The appeared out of _thin air!_ In a cloud of _pink!_ And fell right into my lap me one day. And they saved my life."  
"Thin air!?"  
 _"literally,"_ Kage said in a monotone voice that Jaune knew to be deadly serious as he frowned.  
"Kage. You are my friend. I won't _let_ you die-  
" You don't have a choice. When I die _I die._ Now stop worrying about me we got to meet ludo." Kage said getting up as Jaune gripped his shoulder with his power fist glaring at the boy.  
"This talk is _not_ over. Not by a long shot, you are my teammate and more than my friend. And I am _not_ going to sit back and let you die."  
Jaune said his eyes glaring daggers into Kage as she simply shrugged his shoulders.  
"If you want to waste your time be my guest," Kage said shrugging indifferently as Jaune gripped his shoulder as a cold fire burning in his cerulean eyes as he glared at his friend. "Saving my friends life is _never_ a waste. As long as I'm the team leader of this team, you will live you hear me?"  
"Loud and clear leader. Now let's go Ludo _hates_ to be kept waiting...

* * *

"Ah! How are my _favorite_ first years doing?" Ludo asked team ARKM taking a sip from a mug in his hands. As the young? The man asked team ARKM of their well being as he sat behind his large oak desk as the cold fire of the massive fireplace crackled behind him as the fiery figure of miss Heil glared at them. Standing firmly behind them as Jaune nodded. "We are fine sir. What is the mission today?"

Jaune asked stepping forward boots clinking together both hands closed behind his back as Ludo smirked at him.  
"Simple. Since you are recovering from a _rough_ mission, I am sending you on an _easy_ one."  
 _"Easy?"_  
"Yes easy. You are to ride a bullhead to a demilitarized zone of the wilds, and assist friendly white fang to dismantle an operation base so that they may transport their supplies back to Bastion."  
"That sounds... easy?"  
"It is. There are no Grimm, no enemies although! There are scattered reports of _actual_ hunters in the are. These reports are far and few between and should pose no threat to such _accomplished_ students as your selves. In the meantime, you are there only to supervise the moving of supplies. Tha't not too bad now, is it? And to make it easier! I am assigning Zach and Hino to you as well for added.. protection... Now that' to so bad is it?" Ludo asked his silver eyes shining brightly like daggers in the night as Jaune gulped.  
"No sir... we will do this mission-  
"Not that you have a _choice._ " Miss Heis said her voice full of virulent hatred as she glared her voice _burning_ the air as Jaune felt the paint begin to chip form his bronze gold carapace armor as Ludo sighed.  
"You will depart _immediately_ good luck and be ready for a real mission once you return ok? I have just been alerted to a certain.. _situation_ with a Bastion staff member that needs your assistance and I will be exiting success this time. I do _not_ normally tolerate failures Jaune and I will not tolerate them _twice._ Should you fail me again ther will be _consequences_ to your shortcomings. Do I make myself _clear?"_ The man asked lower his eyes and shooting a glare that pierced Jaune's heart making his soul cry as he gulped.  
"Yes, sir!"  
"Good. Now good luck, you are going to need it." Lud said ominously as team ARKM gulped as one and left the room to go meet thier fate...

* * *

The ride to the DMZ was uneventful. As Jaune and his team say in the bullhead for four hours taking a trip to the mission zone. The mission was supposed to be easy, and the fact that ludo had not seen fit to assign ther teacher liaison Uzpei to them seemed to respect that fact.  
As Jaune had landed on the DMZ seeing the massive trees that seemed more substantial than most buildings in the distance as the bullhead fell and the team went to _work._

Since he was given overall command of the six students and seeing how he did not want to put Ruby at risk.  
Jaune ordered her and Mika to go to the main branch out the Fang base. And oversee the central dismantling while he and Hino and Kage and Zach went to the wing bases to manage their disassembling.  
As the teens split up Jaune found himself alone for what might be the first time since he met the girl with Hino in a large grass field surrounded by trees taller than most buildings overlooking a broken down pile of guns and arms as the flag grunts here had been taking out load after a load of weapons from the main base as Jaune sighed looked into his as maks as Hino smiled her brown eyes shining in the midday sun as Jaune felt his heart _jump!_ As the beautiful girl walked up to him.  
"You look _troubled_ Jaune. Is something the matter?" The girl asked her voice smooth and melodic like a warm summer breeze or a babbling creek as Jaune fought the urge to keep his eyes on hers.  
As he saw the shapely hourglass figure of the girl, her beautiful tanned sun-kissed skin that reminded him of caramel and spice. As her chest was easily the same if not bigger than Yang's swayed heavily in her tight, new brown armor.  
That look like a dead ringer for Kage's old plate mail that he had still. Not even back and was current dress in typical Death Korps slim black fatigues as Hino's brown eyes that simmering like molten gold nearly made Jaune _drown_ in them.  
 _"NO!_ I'm just...  
"Just?"  
"I...  
"Are you feeling _lost?_ Like you have no _purpose?"_  
The girl asked putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, that was not undermined by the massive red drill on top of it as Jaune gulped.

"I... Yes? I guess-  
"Would you like for me to give you _purpose?"_  
"Like what?"  
Jaune asked as Hino smiled in a way that made his heart flutter as she gripped a Fang mask and picked up.

"You speak of being a leader Jaune but you must find your conviction. You must be your own _light."  
_ "Convictions? What do you mean?" Jaune asked as the girl smiled in a way that made his heart _lurch_.  
"Like your mask. You are a _captain_ of the Death korps, but you do not wear your captain insignia? Why is that? Do you feel _unworthy? Incomplete?"_ Hino asked putting on the fang mask snapping it securely over her face as she turned to Jaune.

"Jaune the _light_ is calling for you and-  
The girl was in interrupted as Jaune, and she froze as the sky ripped open. As both teens froze as a glowing red _portal_ appeared in mid-air as a woman? Dressed in bright red and black armor, with flowing black hair wearing a bird mask? Of all things stepped out of it taking a step onto the grass as the portal closed behind her. Vanishing in a flash of red light as Jaune instinctively put his gas mask on. Covering his face with the sterile cold interior filtering his world into twin portals of light streaming through the view slots as it _snapped_ into place on his head. Covering his face from the world as Jaune _fully_ dawned his Death Korps insignia as he had to admit that it felt _right._ As the woman snapped her face to him. Drawing a long red sword and stepping towards them menacingly as Hino glared at her.  
"It looks like we have an intruder," Hino said her drills revving up with a manic _VRRRTT!_  
As her drills spooled up as the woman took an offensive stance as Jaune glared at her as he pulled out his plasma pistol in his left hand. Drawing his sword with his right as he activated the disruption filed as the harch acrid smell of ozone filled the air as the boy took a stance...

* * *

" _God dammit_! Why the hell do we get stuck with the bust work!?" Zach asked grumbling as he and Kage filled papers, of all things, going over supply logs for the items Bastion would be receiving. Making sure to check and also the dozens upon dozens of stacks of white paper as a Fagns secretary assisted them.  
"At least no one is trying to kill us right?" Kage asked his beast fired as he filed his papers as Zach moaned.  
"Oh don't give me that shit! I know you want to be out ther blasting head of these dame nutjobs not filing papers with them!"  
Zach said as the faunus woman briefly grimaced before returning to thier work.  
"You _could_ just enjoy this you know? Not every day no one tries to shoot at us."  
"Hah! I sit here and the busy work while _jailbait_ and the _green sociopath_ for a sit-down! I bet they are laying down doing jack shit talking about _boys and painting their nails!"_  
Zach said mocking flapping his hand like an imitation of chatting girls as Kage simply shrugged his shoulder. His _temporary_ black armor hugging him like a glove.

"You think Ruby paints her nails?"  
"I don't give a _shit_ with the _red jailbait_ does in her spare time! All I care about is-  
Zach froze as he and Kage both froze at once as the sound of gunfire and human screaming and loud explosions filled the room.  
"You hear _that?"_ Zach asked drawing Fell and Slight as Kage nodded.  
"Sure do. You thinking what I'm thinking?" Kage as dar his massive pistol as Zach grinned as his black eyes flickered in anticipation.  
"It's time to kick ass and-  
 _WHAMM!_  
The metal door exploded in a burst of yellow flying off its handle as it smacked _right_ into the faunus woman taking her back and _cracking,_ her head open like a wet grape. Cutting it in half and burst her head apart spilling blood and brains all over the wall, Dying it red as her body was flung into the wall a lone figure stepped out of the smoke and-  
 _"Red?_ When the hell did you get _tits?"_

Zach asked genuinely confused as Ruby? No not Ruby Kage thought as this woman looked like Ruby but was older and as Zach said not _flat._ Or close to flat as the woman smiled? At the ina y that sent a shiver down his spine.  
"My name is _Summer Rose!_ And you are terrorist are all under _arrest!"_  
The woman said happily smiling at them with her hands on her hips, a long silver caple flowing behind her back and her silver combat boots absolutely _covered_ with blood and bones of dead Fang members as Zach and Kage both froze as the turned to each other as one.  
"Did she just _say..._  
 _"Yup,"_ Kage said as he and Zach began to fan out as Summe drew a twin pair of short swords at them.  
"So that mean's _she's..._

"She's her _mom,"_ Kage said as Zach groaned.  
"Dammit! I _know_ what you are going to say! I just know it! But Kage, please! Just listen to me and-  
"Zach. We _can't_ kill her.' Kage said dryly as Zach whined.  
"Why not?! Can't I just maim her a _little!?_ I promise it'll just be a leg-  
"Try _not_ to kill her ok?" Kage said as Zach moaned. "Fine. I get it, but I don't like it."  
"Good. Now I go left?"  
"And I go right," Zach said as the boys spread out as Summer gave a disturbingly Ruby like smirk.  
"Looks like you two want to do this the _hard_ way!"  
Summer said as the boy's split up each taking a different path as the two sides charged...

* * *

 **AN: Well! I promised you a Beacon reunion but I bet you didn't expect one like that! The stakes are raised the plan is set and it's time for a fight! Ruby found her purpose in life! Kage showed he was _dying?!_ Jaune don's his mask and this is the first chapter where Mika _didn't_ get a line?! Oh well! It's time for a fight boys and girls as the next chapter will be _Jaune Arc!_ and _Hino Fang! Versus! Raven Branwen!_ Along with _Venke Kage!_ And _Zach! Versus! Summer Rose!_ Who will _win!?_ Four of the _best_ and most heavily armed and trained members of the Death Korps or!? Two of Remnants _best_ huntresses!? Check in next time to find out! No spoilers but this fight is going to get _messy!_ Even by _my_ standards.**

 **PS. Chapter notes! This is going to be a tangent so sit _tight!_ If you don't know I write, I write _a lot_ I have five stores currently running on fanfiction right now and I got to set some things up. Now I know this is going to sounds strange but when I write _all_ of my stories are _loosely_ connected to one another. As in separate universes but happening in more or less tandem with one another. You see a _long_ time ago I had this idea of having all my stories interconnected by some type of extended universe and I did! I used something called _extraneous_ dust a type of dust that can _teleport_ inorganic objects across realities that I decided would be cool if I _paired_ up stories having different series affecting one another.**

 **An example of a story pairing of mine that did _not_ work out well mainly because I did not know what I was doing was _Jaune Torchwick_ and _Endangered Species._ These two stories were originally supposed to be _heavily_ intertwined but I didn't know how to work it out well so it failed but! I got my stuff together an know this is how it's going to work! All of my fics will have another fic that is _paired_ with them. A fiction where _extraneous_ dust will cause thing form one fic to show up in the other. **

**For example, the pairing fic for _Bastion_ is _Game on link here._** ** _s/12805373/1/Game-on_**

 **Since these two are going to be some of my _longest_ running fics they are now paired up. Using _extraneous_ dust the fics will at times interact with each other either indirectly _directly_ affecting the flow of the other story. So from now on since I'm dabbling in the multiverse idea the events of Game On and Bastion may or may _not_ directly or indirectly influence the other story. As from now on any type of _nonorganic items_ can travel between fics with the dust meaning _weapons, items things that are not biological_ can appear in the fics and _well_ that's goign to cause things to get a bit interesting! In the fics. Working on Game on now so _YEAH!_**

 **Also! For pacing purposes as you can now see all of Bastion is divided up into _pillars._ As you can see Bastion now takes place in _pillars._ There are going to be _three_ pillars in this fiction that the main character must overcome _before_ they go back to Beacon! So far we are on Pillar _one_. And are about _half_ done with it as we are one and a half months into Bastion's timeline of _three_ months till Vytal! Seeing how most of this fic takes place in a _concentrated_ amount of time so the fiction while goign strong is nowhere _near_ finished! And ther are a lot of _battles, fighting, death, pain,_ and as always the _Pat special! Suffering!_ To come for our heroes! As a good saying goes, do you _ever_ suffer enough? So strap in and get ready! Cause I'm writing and I'm not stopping any time soon...**

 **PSS. What did Ruby ever do to me? Nothing! I like Ruby, Jaune, and Blake as my favorite _characters!_ I love them! I just show my love _differently_ than others! And when I love something it _suffers._ And remember! Tragedy is indispensable to the creation of character! **

* * *

**Omake. Hero of Remnant part 14. _The Descent._**

There where _many_ things in Jaune's life that he did not like. He did not like waking up to the sound of gunfire in the morning, a bad choice of a pet peeve in a military career. he did not like having cold Recaff. he did not like it whenever someone yelled _We need a commissar_! And he _especially_ did not like getting _wet_. Which was just what he was doing as he slogged through the sewers cursing every last saint with his _expansive_ vocabulary all the way up to Monty himself as he _led_ the pack of penal legionnaires, inquisitorial soldiers and one rather.. _parched_ inquisitor. Who could not keep her eyes off his ass as Jaune as perusal only had Ren to count on as the two men led the way through the sewer...

"Tea sir?"  
Ren asked in his typical phlegmatic tone as he somehow had a cup of tea? In his hand, as he held it up to Jaune who despite the absurdity of drinking tea in answer took it with his pistol hand.

"Thank you, Ren, I-

"Where the hell did you pull that from?" The woman _Emerald?_ Asker her blood red eyes narrowing with suspicion as Jaune sighed.

"Does it matter?" He asked the dark-skinned woman who glared.

"I think it _does_ matter when you pull out tea in a sewer fully made with no teacups! Where the hell did you get the hot water?"

Emerald asked incredulously her red eyes narrowed into slits as she waved her green pistols defensively.

"I... Ren?"

"I have my ways," Ren said calmly waving his melta pistols as he and Jaune led the way. The group of hodgepodge imperials had been down in the sewers for hours. Walking through miles of filth ignoring the war going on above thier very heads as-

 _"DOWN!"_ Ren suddenly yelled as Jaune knew far better than to question his best friends words as he hit the nearest concrete pillar just as a loud _CLANG!_ Filled the air as a plasma? Round of all things impacted the wall behind them making the imperials scatter for cover as more bright flashes lit the tunnel as the shooting _began._

* * *

Now on the list of the things Jaune did not like getting shot at while being _significantly_ lower than being shot was still pretty damn high on his do not want list. As he hid behind a pillar. _CRACK!_

More plasma shots rang from the other end of the tunnel. Illuminating the otherwise dark sewer tunnels with bright flashes of blue and white. Filling the air with the arcid HISS! Of molten angry as the _FISHTT!_ Of steaming water as the energy rounds impacted the sewage as a loud _BANG!_ Filled the air as the enemy sniper shot into their huddled mass of troopers the hard slug nearly taking off Jaune's head but only _narrowly_ missing his head and hitting his cap. Blowing off his commissarial cap as he sighed.

 _That was my favorite cap._ Jaune thought despondently as his favorite piece of clothing sank into the mud and-

 _BANG!_ Another sniper shot whipped by his head nearly taking it off as he finally had enough.

"Black! Will you _please!_ Do me the great pleasure of killing that damn sniper?!" Jaune asked as the penal trooper fell into step, sliding down into the sewage and slither up like a snake next to Jaune.

"On it boss!" The man said peering through his sniper scope taking his time and aiming his custom long lass in the dark waiting for another bright flash of plasma to-

 _CRACK!_

Marcus fired his gun as a satisfying cry of a dying enemy filled the air as the enemy briefly stopped firing as Jaune revved up his chain sword. Crocea Mors its teeth flashing as-

 _"WAIT!"_

Pyrrha? Said as the inquisitor in a _shockingly_ even for an inquisitors point of view bad idea lurched out from cover to sprint out!? Into the dark as Jaune balked.

 _"Pyrrha?!_ What are you doing!?"

Jaune hissed as the inquisitor left the stunned troopers alone in the dark for well over ten minutes As Jaune had half a mind to turn around go home drink soma Tanna before this day got any worse when as usual _it got worse_. As Pyrrha cam back with Fang!? Member as the inquisitor had a sickeningly happy smile plastered on her face as she led a trio of enemy soldiers into thier midst and-

 _"Commissar. Troopers, associates._ Mett _Sirrehna Khan._ She is our new ally for this mission." The woman said as the familiar faunus stepped forward her eyes locking onto Jaune as he balked.

"Hello Commissar, it looks like we are about to work together some more yes?" The cat woman asked blinking her eyes in a wolfish manner as a pit formed in Jaune's stomach as he somehow knew his life was only going to get much, _much_ worse...


	32. Pillar one mother's little helper

**An: Another day another chapter of Bastion! In this time we got a fight! It's time for a show down between Bastion elites and the best Remnant has to offer! WHo will win the Death Korps or the huntresses!? Either way its a fight so let's get ready to rumble!**

 **Ps. It's hot where I am. I'm about to start swimming in my clothes...**

* * *

It was a _bleak_ day in Raven's opinion as she stepped out of her portal. The world falling back into place as reality reasserted itself once more as a heavy sigh left her mouth. Raven had stepped foot from the bright crimson _nonplace_ that she called her semblance right into a large meadow surrounded by tall, ancient-looking trees as she took one look around her and frowned.  
 _"More terrorist scum._ " Raven thought drawing her thing red sword as her chamber clicked! Ominously rapidly shuffling through their dust canisters as she picked out the specific dust type for her mission.  
"T _his is an extermination mission so fire dust should work well."_ Raven thought to finalize her dust choice as she looked at her opponents and frowned.  
There were two obvious terrorists in front of her. One a boy who was more tall than lanky wearing a strange piece of armor. That seemed to be a mix between a standard hazmat suit and something she would be surprised to find on a front line assault trooper form Atlas.

Along with what looked to be a _cavalry_? Officers chest plate. His body was wrapped in a thick type of carapace armor black as night with a bronze chest plate that looked woefully out of place but oddly fit his body. On his arms were twin yellow shields or gauntlets. As they looked more than capable of bashing a skull or two in. He was well armed with a sword and an energy pistol fo unknown origins but look deadly. As Raven made a mental note not to go to close to it as she looked down to his other hand seemed to be glowing? As a crackling corona of energy enveloped it with bright blue eldritch energy that seemed to seethe with hatred and malice. As Ravne frowned.

The one next to him was a female. Tall and broad shoulders, she was wearing a light version of classical plate male armor along with a typical white fang mask used by their elites. She had _richly_ tanned skin, that shone in the dim noon light like bronze gold, as the sun washed over her light brown skin flowing or her even in Ravne's opinion powerful muscles. Giving the appearance of _melting chocolate_. As she swore, she was more muscular than _Yang_. Far more than _R-_  
Raven stopped herself in an instant as a pit formed in her stomach. They still didn't' talk about the _incident._ Not once since it happened. When she saw that broadcast and watched-  
 _"No time for doubts. We can't afford to be distracted here_." Raven though shaking her head free of the images of Summer on her knees crying her eyes out as her best friend gave them most _haunting_ wail of torment as she screamed in a voice louder than Raven never thought possible as she saw the last most disturbing part of her opponents.  
" _They are children._ " She thought darkly as she began to move on the two children. The literal children in front of her, despite being heavily armed and armored. Cleary well trained thier stances gave away a firm knowledge of combat and armed tot he teeth. Will all manner of weaponry that Raven did and did not recognize. Form the boy's strange glowing pistol that Raven had to avoid staring directly into as she felt her hairs rise as pinpricks filled her teeth. Making her on edge as she swore she heard it _hum._

All the way form over here. Tot he massive and clearly deadly drills on the girl's gauntlets. These two teens where terrorist elite ad not to be trifled with. Their weaponry and armor gave them away as clear as day, and that meant that despite Ravens' objections to the killing of children they had to be put down.  
 _"It's as Ozpin says. We need to be practical.'_ Raven thought as she drew her blade fully and began to talk to her enemies. Hopefully to subdue them an to arrest them where they coudl be rehabilitated for their hopeful brainwashing and Fang indoctrination but fi not? She would put them down. She thought as a frown crested her lips as she wondered how Summer was doing right now on her mission.  
"Jaune. Do you see that?" Hino asked her drills revving up as the mystery woman walked closer to them. Her long thin red sword held high in the air as Jaune nodded.  
"Sure do," Jaune said drawing his power sword hearing the telltale FSH! Of its disruptor field powering up as cackling blue energy surrounded him as the acrid scent of ozone filled his nostrils. The small of powerful it even pass through his gas maks rebreather as it was called as Hino nodded.  
"What's the plan?" The girl asked stalking to her right her drills now whining at a fever pitch as an ear piercing _VRRTT!_ Filled his eardrums as the woman paused.  
"Fang terrorist. Surrender peacefully." The woman demanded as Jaune and Hino gave each other confused looks.

* * *

"She thinks we are terrorists?"  
"Good. Don't dissuade that idea. Bastion does not exist yet. We can't let her think otherwise." Jaune said slowly as Hino nodded as he spoke to the woman in red.  
"No. You leave. This is none of your concern women." Jaune said in his most authoritative voice that will somewhat effective in Beacon was now downright _powerful_ in Bastion as the woman sighed.  
"Please. You are children! Stand down and let me arrest you." The woman pleaded as Jaune shook her head.  
"No can do. I-  
"FIne. Be that way." The woman said as she teleported!? Across the filed her long red sword slashing down onto Jaune's thin blue one as an explosion of sparks filled the air-  
 _KFSSHT!_  
The crackling energy of his disruptor field barely held back the woman's inhumanly stung blow as Jaune grimaced in pain as the woman looked shocked that he blocked her blow, or as shocked as one can be when you are behind a mask and-  
 _VRRTT!_  
The woman pulled back in a moment moving her sword up just in time and deflecting a raging drill strike from Hino as Jaune acted without thinking. Raising his plasma pistol in one smooth motion aiming it right down the woman's face checking to see that it was on the standard shot as he pulled the trigger.  
 _VATHUM!_ A cloud of blue energy filled the air as a rolling molten ball of ionized gas slammed into Ravne's face. The cackling dealy energy slamming into her aura making her howl. In agony, as she was lifted off her feet and tossed back a good twenty pace as she skidded to the ground with her feet and growled.

"It looks like I have to get serious." Rave seethed as her aura dip to the seventies as she drew her sword filtering to the fire dust as she charged them.

* * *

"Oh god fucking _dammit!"_ Zach swore as he and Kage dove behind the flimsy desk as the fucking Ruby clone attacked them.  
"When the hell did Red git _tits!?"_ Zach swore popping out of cover firing at the woman who blurred!? Out of reality becoming a wave of silver rose petals as she leapt out to him to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to the boys face causing the room to fill with an unhealthy _snap!_ of his jaw before in the same motion she wrapped her slim lithe legs around his neck pivoting her thin lithe body and slamming him into the ground with a loud _WHAM!_ As she smacked Zach so hard into the concrete, it cracked before jumping away as Kage grinned.  
 _"That_ looked painful."  
"Oh shut up and help me kill her!" Sach said as both boys w got other feet as Summer grimaced as she angled her shimmer silver short swords to them. As the two fang terrorist raised thier pistols at her.  
"Give up! You don't have to die today!" Summer yelled taking a heroic stance still praying that she could spare the lives of the teenagers in front of her. As the two teens, one with skin the color of milk chocolate the other nearly sheet white both with black hair looked at one another sharing some silent look as the one with bronze skin sighed heavily.

As he shook his head as he raised his weapons, twin heavy pistols at Summer as she bent her knees. Preparing to activate her semblance and to disarm him and- " _Your time is over! We have you on all fronts!"_ The boy with black hair said as Summer froze wondering what the hell he was talking about as he put his hand to his head and began to stare itno her eyes and-  
"You have over ten Fang around you! And you are about to be pumped full of led!" The boy yelled as Summer-  
"What?!" The huntress panicked as she was surrounded!? Fang soldiers were suddenly on all sides of her as she had been _entirely_ covered by Fang assailants as they aimed thier assault rifles at her.  
 _"Now!"_ Zach yelled as Kage nodded. Sprinting forward to the huntress Ruby's mother? Of all things as she was momentarily fooled by Zach's semblance as-  
 _"GAH!"_  
Kage ducked, narrowly avoiding having his head cut off as the woman's swords _grew?_ Elongating themselves into whip-like things as she began to twirl wildly flailing them around the room making both boys dive for cover as a whirlwind of silver tore into the tight confines of the room. Her whisp gouging up walls and creating deep tears in them as they slammed into the floor.  
"The _fuck_ is that?!"  
Zach yelled as he and Kage hit the deck narrowly avoiding losing thier head as the woman whirled around in a blur of silver rosepetals acting like a tornado of lashing death as they both grunted as air slammed into thier eyes as Kage took aim.  
"How the hell should I know?! I just tried to take her down and-  
 _Crack!_  
A whip stuck right where Kga'e head had been as Summer glared at them "That was your semblance right!? I'm done playing nice!" Summer yelled as she flicked a button on her weapons handle as a throaty metallic _growl_ filled the room as Venke and Zach froze as the weapons _broke?_  
Thier long metal parts broke and shattered!? As they went from singular solid pieces of metal into long elongated pieces of metal. As they began to rotate?!  
Becoming like razor wires, as her weapons became-  
 _"Chainsaw whips?!"_ Zach balked as he saw the woman's weapon become whirring blades of death. As they glowed silver as she began to twirl them into a deadly loop as Zach's face paled as the woman began to glare at them. In a decided un Ruby like manner. As Summer carried a level of hatred with her as Zach gulped and-  
"Ruby is _definitely_ her daughter.' Kage said in a dry tone as he got ready to risk getting pulped by a hundred whirring blades as the two flexed their legs as Summer glowered at them-  
"Sur-  
" _Freeze!"_  
 _BANG!_  
A dozen rifles fired at once as a dozen fang troops real one's bursts in from the broken down door Summer came through. Opening fire on her with full auto as they unloaded thier magazine into the woman's back. Making the woman cry out in pain as her body shook and shuddered as she was riddled with led.  
As the woman well forward the loud _bangs!_ Of gun fired filled the air as the fang advance on Summer's shaking form an-  
"Yeah! Finally, you lousy muts do something right!" Zach said smiling at the advancing terrorist and-  
 _FISHT!_  
 _"AHH!"_  
A horrible scream filled the air, as Summer flashed out with one of her whips twirling it around her back. Slicing the fang terrorist behind her in _half._ He whirring bales impacting and popping! The aura of the Fang before the metal shred the faunus, ripping them apart as the men and woman burst!  
Into bright clouds of offal as her whips ate into them as Summer cut down the mob of troopers att at once as Kage and Zach's jaws dropped as Zach began to chuckle darkly as he shook his head in exasperation.  
"Still don't want to kill her?"  
"A _bit_ less. But we can't."  
"Oh _come on_! Did you just see that shit!?"  
"I did. But you _know_ what's on the line here if she dies." Kage said cracking his shoulder as the winded own finished butchering the faunus. Turning them into bright red stains on the dull room walls with her whips as she turned her baleful now glowing? Silver eyes to Kage and Zach as the boys sighed.  
"I know! I know! Don't tell me about it! I know how this goes down. We can't upset her balance! OR whatever."  
"Glad you know. Now let's get ready I don't think she's too _thrilled_ with being shot at." Zach said sarcastically as the woman whips began to _growl_ at them.  
"You don't fucking say," Zach grunted as Summer glared at the two boys before bending her legs and spirals towards them in a tornado of silver as the three fought.

* * *

 _VATHUM!_  
Jaune pulled the trigger of the plasma pistol once again as Raven barreled into the attack, launching herself into a combat role as she avoided the majority of the damage of the weapons best not that it mattered. The seething chaotic energies of the energy pistol bitting deep into her aura. Taking it down to near half before she growled as she launched her self up to the boy holding the weapon as her sword slashed down onto it. Causing a massive spike of energy to fill the air before she clicked her hand as a jet of crystallized fire dust shot onto boys' face. Igniting on contact with the air lighting his helmet on fire. Making him scream out loud in a terrible cry as he fell back as his own armor began to _cook_ him only for her to grab his shoulder and _WHACK!_  
Headbutting the boy back sending him falling flat on his back before a shadow fell over her as she twirled around.

Placing and blocking the whirring drill stikes of the girl. As her weapons cylinder clicked again as she fried twin shot of ice down to her feet. Freezing the girl tot he floor. Making her gasps before Raven landed a devastating punch to her jugular making the girl gag! As she fell to her knees choking on her own wit as-  
 _Danger!_  
Raven thought as she ducked a sword strike from the now fully recovered boy. As he came back to her weapon firing. His archaic weapon blazing in short burst of blue. As Raven cast an ice wall between her and him. Diving past it as it just as it was blown apart into a steaming shattering of ice splinters as the boy fired his pistol into it as she skirted around him. Her reflexes far outweighed his own. As she slashed her weapon to her arm avoiding his own glowing blue sword and the strange energy field that surrounded it that allowed him to resist her attacks.  
As she slashed into his yellow pauldrons. Stopping in surprise as her sword bit into the metal before being _stopped_ in its tracks. As the sword that she had seen cut clean through a deathstalkers hide without effort was stopped dead in its tracks. As her momentary confusion nearly cost her, her life. As the boy fired his pistol again. As Ravne bobbed to her right, narrowly avoiding the superheated gas attack of the pistol As she yanked! Her sword out punching the boy in his gut making him wheeze as he doubled over in pain before digging her sword into his sternum. In a backward strike making him cry out as-  
FSHT!  
The girl broke out of her ice shackles. As She began to charge Raven her drills whirring in defiance as Raven shot forward. Slicing outward catching her drilling in her sword hilt halting her attack in midair before freezing them with her dust. Making the girl balk as her drills become frozen and her hands ended up froze together. As Ravne smirked, kicking her in the chest sending her flying back and-  
 _VATHUM!_  
 _"AHH!"_  
Raven cried out ould as _another_ blast of that damn energy discharge hit her back as she was knocked forward crashing on the ground where-  
 _FIT!_  
The boy's sword nearly took her in the back of her spine. As she stabbed it forward allowing her to roll out of his side, freezing her hand in ice dust and slamming it into his gut. Causin it to freeze as ice exposed along his bronze armor encasing it in her ice dust freezing the boy's torso in place as Raven shifted to fire dust slamming it into him making the ice _pop!_

As the boy flew backward, the girl jumped at her only to have Rave bob and weave out of her whirring drill attacks. Dodging the girls swift and honestly well-coordinated attacks. That where equal parts fast, and powerful. As Raven appeared in her gars slashing out her sword to the girls face. Slicing her in the head as her aura flared golden as she made her cry in pain before twirling her sword and stabbing the girl in the gut. Making her gag and collapse onto the floor as Raven sighed as she took three steps backward as the two injured teens huddled back to one another as she frowned.  
She could. If she wanted to kill both of these teens right now. Ending thier lives in a quick painless manner.

That she honestly should have done a long time ago. Raven was ordered to eradicate the fang here in the wilds by Ozpin. The old wizard had said that ther were fishy rumors goign on in the wilds. Rumors of _massive battles_ and what seemed like all-out _wars?_ Being waged far beyond the borders of the kingdoms. As Raven had initially dismissed the rumors. Human settlements near the kingdoms here rare enough and far too sparse to count as real armies. But this far out? There was no way humans coudl find _any_! Type of permanent institution let alone establish _bases_ of operation to conduct military actions on one another!  
For one there was simply no way humans could move out here without the kingdoms knowledge. Two. The Grimm would ensure any form of settlements hear would end as soon as it began.  
As the two teens huddled side to side whispering some kind of plan that would obviously fail as Ravne sighed.  
She did not want to kill teenagers, she had seen enough of that already. After the incident... Where two lights had been so brutally snuffed in front of her face Raven had _no_ intention of seeing more young lives snuffed out. As memories of her daughters balling tear filled face entered her mind, her eyes no longer flaming red and burning crimson like bright lust, no more were they lost thier usual light free lilac hues that had brought a smile to Ravens face for the last eighteen years that never failed to lift her mood whenever she saw the beaming bright smile of the daughter that she was so proud to call her own.

As a _profound_ sadness filled her heart as she remembered the day those lights in her eyes left. As the news of her sisters... fate reached her those lilac eyes died in an hour. Losing _all_ color and fading into dull, cold purple amethyst shades of purple. As Yang's eyes were now as cold and dead as the Atlas ice peaks. As Yang had not spoken for over a month after the news reached her, and had barely moved, fought or so much as breathed for that time. She even developed a _severe_ , case of anorexia after the _incident_ as Yang had stubbornly _refused_ to eat and only after the constant! Begging of her teammates, herself and her father had begun to eat solid food again, as she still refused to talk even to her. As her daughter was borked she was not the only one to fell the news of their deaths. The _redhead?_ She had never heard a Mistrali wail before, and honestly? Ravne never wanted to hear it again. The redhead had cried so loudly and with such despair, Raven swore she would go mute as she bemoaned her partner and lovers?

Death as both of their teams had become irrevocably altered by the event. As they were shattered by the tragedy of the loss of life and would most likely never recover from. Although the most affected out of everyone was Ozpin himself as up until that fateful night Raven had never seen Ozpin _angry._ Sure he got irked, perturbed and occasionally irritated but on that night? After watching _that_ on Nation tv he was _furious_. The man had gripped his treassured mug so hard it _broke_ as he lost _half_ of him newest chest peices as Raven swore that the man was about to _explode_ with rage. As Raven remebr the hatred the sadness the helplesness that flowed over her she had to fight back a tear as-  
 _"Now!"_  
The boy yelled as Ravne sighed as the two began to charge her as they began another attack after deciding on a plan that would surely fail them.  
"Why can't you just stay _down?_ " Raven asked as the boy lashed out with his sword as Raven sighed, blocked it easily before-  
 _BACK!_  
Raven's instincts kicked in as a glowing blue _spear!?_ Shot out from the ground as a glowing blue spear appeared out of the earth making Raven dart back jsut before she narrowly avoided a drill attack form the girl as she was forced the bend her back like she was doing a limbo before growing.  
 _"What the hell was that!?"_ Raven thought to wonder where the hell that spear had come from and-  
" _AH!_ " Raven cried as her aura flared as several spears shot out from underneath her. As she was skewered by glowing blue weapons. As her aura flashed faded and _poped!_

As Raven was left defenseless as she panicked rolling up only to gasp as a pair of bright teal manacles!? Appeared on her ankles as glowing blue metal shakes mapped out of nowhere rooting her in place as-  
A shadow fell over her as the boy cocked back his fist, the one that had the strange glowing blue energy field around it. As he planted his feet and sent a devastating haymaker into her aura less mask making it _pop_! As the boys punch landed, shattering her bird mask in one fell crack!  
Of the weapons, strange disruptive filed making her cry out in pain as Ravne saw stars, as her vision blurred and dimmed as she felt as if a sledgehammer had jsut hammer her fac eas she saw _black._  
As she was nearly yanked off her feet as blood and teet flew from her mouth, st he fists destructive energy field broke flesh, smashed teeth and shattered bone as the woman was left _gasping reeling_ pushed to the _edge_ of consciousness and about to break as the two teens closed in on her, like sharks sensing the kill.

* * *

"Dammit! I didn't think this was goign to be so hard!" Zach swore as the Ruby clone leaped at him kicking him in his gut. Landing a flying knee strike to the boy's stomach making him gag as his _bent_ as the breath was knocked from his lungs as Summer sent him flying across the room and flying into Kage. As the boys, both gasped as they slammed into the cold concrete of the room as they groaned. "Tell me again why we just _can't_ kill her!?"  
"You _know_ why! Now let's just take her down!" Kage said as-  
"You! The one in _black!"_ Summer yelled as both teens stopped and blinked owlishly at her as the pale skinned one spoke first.

"We are _both_ wearing black you dumb broad! WHich one of us are you yapping to?" Zach swore before _yelping!_ In pain, as she lashed him across the face with one of her whips. Slicing open the boy's right cheek can covering the other boy in blood as her whip strike yanked him clean off his feet. Sending him spiraling across the room in a spiraling bleeding mass only for him to _crash!_ Into a wall with a loud meaty _THUD!_ As he slammed unceremoniously into the cold floor as-  
 _"There._ Now you! The one with bronze skin and _some!_ Manners tell me-  
 _"Fuck you! You dumb broad!_ " Zach groaned from his bleeding corner giving Summer the middle finger before screaming in pain as Summer lashed down on him with her hips bitting _deeply_ into his back tearing apart his back armor and filling the room with the agony fueled cries of the boy as she let her whips eat into his back. Filling Kage's ears with the sounds of tearing human flash as he sighed.  
 _"There!_ All better! I never did like it when children talked back to me you know?" Summer asked as she flashed Kage a smile that was so Ruby like it shook him to his core as the boy fixed her with a level glare.  
"I-  
"I'm doing the talking. Now unless you want to end up like your friend over ther-  
 _"Fu-_  
"Do you _really! Really_! And I mean _REALLY!_ Want to finish that sentence!?" Summer barked at the prone bleeding form of Zach as her silver eyes flashed with anger as the boy paused.  
 _"Shutting up._ "  
 _"Good boy!_ Now you! The one who does not want to kill me. Tell me, you seem oddly concerned with simply disabling me. But not capturing? What are your reasons for that?" Summer asked as Kage froze as his mind worked a thousand times a second as he gulped once as he began to speak. "I see no reason for unnecessary deaths."  
"Really?! So you are a terrorist with a _heart of gold_ then?"  
"Not exactly. I just don't like to kill when it can be avoided. And you seem like a good person so why not talk right? As long as we have a chance to?" Kage asked playing for time as he saw Zach slowly get out of his corner. His dark black eyes blinking at Kage as the plan was in motion.

"Oh? So you don't _like_ killing but you are in the Fang? Tell me _mister terrorist!_ How does that work out in your mind? How do you sleep at night when you know you are a murderer." Summer almost spat out the last word with the force of a sword strike. As Kage gulped as Zach took aim with his pistols. As Summer glared at Kage as if he was the scum of the earth. And to be fair he was more or less was the scum of the earth but hey, he coudl always be worse. He could always be Zach. He thought as he smiled at Summer. "One. I sleep on my _back_. I find it comfortable. And two. Just because I'me being merciful now does not mean I am not jsut a murderer. I like killing people just as much as the next guy but! I just don't like to do it _unnecsarrialy._ "

"So you are a smart ass _and_ a pragmatist?"  
"More or less. I always thought of my self as a reasonable type of guy you know?"  
"More than you _think!_ And I think that my boss _Ozpin_ will just love! To talk to you about it all the way back in Beacon! Where you can come back with me willingly in a pair of handcuffs or! You can come back in a black, blue, with all your bones broken and have to spend the rest of your life eating through a _straw.'_ Summer said in a sickeningly sweet smile as Kage felt his blood run cold as-  
 _FISHT!_  
 _"AHH!"_ Summer cried as a green bolt blasted into her head narrowly missing her temple and burning off the skin of her forehead as she growled in anger turning to Zach as-  
 _WHACK!_  
 _"AH!"_  
Summer cried out as Kage slammed a massive pistol into her face. The gun acting like a metal club and slamming into her like a sledgehammer. Taking her off her feet, and breaking her nose. As the woman cried out as Kage shot out a hand Yanking one of her whips form her and. Tossing it across the room in one smooth motion and-  
Summer raised one of her whips buts to his face and-  
 _FSHT!_

" _AH!"_  
Kage cried as her whip _shot_ him!? Summer fired on Kage three times as bright white energy fired from the base of her whips as she shot the boy in his chest making his aura flash and nearly pop! As he fell backward only for FISHT!  
Zach shot the other whip out form her and disarming Summer as the woman dove for her closest weapon and-  
 _BANG!_  
The bolt form Kage massive pistol nearly took the woman's head off. As a monster of a round blow into the ground as she leaped back in fear only-  
 _THUD!_ Kage crashed into her face with the but of his pistol caused a bright spurt of blood to come from the woman's jaw. As she screamed as he kicked her in the gut. Making her _gag!_ As Zach came from behind her digging his slades into her back making summer cry out in anguish as he stabbed her.

"How's it feel _bitch!?_ Not so fun when you are getting your ass kicked now is it!?" Zach asked relishing the feeling of flesh splitting on metal and-  
"Didn't you mother teach you not to _swear!?"_  
Summer shouted as Kage launched another haymaker as she _caught it!?_ Kage balked as Summer _effortlessly_ blocked his punch, catching it in one hand effortlessly stopping it. As she bent his arm. Making it _crack!_ As he howled in pain as she forced him backward taking him to the side of the room. As she picked up one of her whips. And brought the teeth to his neck as she was about to tear out his jugular and-  
 _FISHT_!  
Zach fired at her as Summer growled barely avoiding the green energy bolt that would have killed her in a moment. As she pushed the boy away stabbing Kage in his ankles making the boy how as his actual right ankles were cut open as he swore out loud as Summer blurred to Zach. Dropping her whip, coming from behind the boy. Gripping his neck in her hand jumping back and suplexing the boy into the cold ground floor. Making his neck give a decisively unhealthy _crack!_ As Zach went down and stayed _still._  
Making Kage grin his teet as he shot up, grimacing in pain as Kage ignored the pain in his leg ran up to her only for Summer to blur to his and punch! Him right in the face, her fist hitting him in the polar opposite of Ruby's punch. Her fist striking him like a _jackhammer._ Making his neck _snap!_ backward as Summer nearly lifted him off his feet. Before her fist began to blur as she delivered a flurry of punches to Kage's face.  
Striking him over _thirty_ times in less than a second and making his aura _pop!_  
As his soul's defenses were overwhelmed in a moment as his face became black and blue as his teeth where _shattered_ , and his vision saw stars as Summer grabbed him by his neck and _slammed!_  
Him into the floor. Making his eyes go wild. As she slammed his face into the ground before going for a fatal curb stomp on him before-  
 _BANG!_  
Another brave, Fang soldier shot her in the back as Summer went behind him smacking the gun out of the woman's hand before wrapping her hands around her nack and _Snap!_  
Snapping it in one swift motion killing the woman in a moment as she let her corpse fall to the floor and-  
"What the _fuck!?_ How the hell is she so strong?! Ruby isn't this strong!" Zach shouted as Summer froze. As her neck snapped back so fast it almost broke! As she fixed Zach with a glare that coudl have cut steel and-  
"What did you **say!?** " Summer shouted as her voice took a deep resonating tone as her eyes began to glow!?  
As a bright silver light fell from her eyes as the smell of ozone filled the air as Kage felt his hairs stand on end as Zach gulped.  
"Who!? I don't know what you are-  
"I can see through your lies **boy!** You know something about **Ruby! Tell me!"** Summer yelled as a literal beam of light shot up for her eyes piercing the roof above them as an ear piercing whirring sound filled the air. As the wind began to spin around them as she glared at the boy as Kage saw both of their deaths coming as-

 _FWAM!_  
Kage flinched as his eyes went wide in shock as _it_ fell from the ceiling. Kage didn't believe his eyes as he saw _it_ as his jaw dropped as he saw _it,_ fall itno the room.  
 _"Tell me!"_  
Summer said as Kage saw _it,_ his and Zach's sole way of escaping the situation, was _it._ As Kage had no idea where _it_ , had come from chalking _it's_ appearance as a gift from the light. Not taking _it_ for granted and as long as he had _it_. He had a chance. As the boy swelled braving the swirling silver streaks of energy spring to Summer wrapping her up in a bear hug. Making the woman paused as she was momentarily distracted as Kage picked her up before dragging her to _it_ and tossing her inside of _it_ as he turned it _on..._

* * *

" _Now!"_ Jaune yelled as his plan was sprung as the woman fell for the trap, the Huntress? he assumed was on the back floor as he and Hino encircled her, the woman as her bird mas was broken as he saw Yang!? Jaune nearly froze as he swore! he saw an elder version of Yang in front of him. Glaring at him with hate filled eyes as her mouth was split open. As half of her cheek was ripped off in a blood fleshy rag, as her teeth or the majority of them had been shattered by his power fist.  
As the woman glared at him the blurred out in a blaze of motion slicing her down onto his guard only for him to block it as she stuttered.  
 _"Impossible!_ " Ravne said as she saw it, her weapon was getting stuck! In the boy's shield As the boy's pauldrons had literally healed themselves and had gone back to thier original state. As the sword was proving useless on the boys shield as -  
 _VRRRTTT!_  
 _"AHH!_ " Raven cried out her mind flashing in agony as the girl's drills found her arm. The metal bit bitting deeply into her arm making the woman scream in agony. As Hino nearly dissolved her right arm with her drill tip. As she stuck lean and turned into her arm. As Raven cried out Jaune raised his pistol at her gut, setting it for short range as she fired.  
 _VATHUM!_  
Raven acted on instinct ripping off her armor almost as soon as the energy bolt hit her gut. Exposing her bare midriff and her mostly spared pale stomach as the plan round ate into her armor dissolving it almost instantly, as she slashed forward at Jaune only for Hino's cables to shoot out, locking on her ankles. Hooking Raven to the ground as she cried out in pain before Hino delivered a brutal drill strike that clipped! Her jaw making more of her pale flesh peel off in a wave of blood. At Him, while missing her first attack delivers a brutal. Backhand of Ravne knocking her off her feet. As the woman rallied caught herself and stabbed Hin right itno her gut.

Her aura flashing gold as her semblance blocked the damage, a raven got up ready to kill the girl and-  
 _"GHHYYAA!_ " Raven cried as Jaune leaped forward power sword glaring as Jaune slashed downward and cut her arm _off._  
Raven showed in pain, as her left arm was nearly severed as the limb fell limply to the ground. As a wave of blood left Raven's arm, painting Jaunes armor the color of Ruby's cape as the woman howled before lashing out with her sword arm as another red portal was opened as the bleeding beaten woman leaped inside as Hino scoffed.  
 _"We beat her._ ' Hino said smugly as Jaune nodded putting away his plasma pistol and power saber. As he looked at the severed woman's arm and frowned picking it up and tossing it into the portal.  
 _"Good riddance."_ Jaune thought as he tossed her severed arm into the portal as it collapsed in on itself.  
As Jaune and Hino both nodded to one another as Hino sighed.  
 _"Good Riddance._ I wonder what Zach and Kage are doing?"  
"Probably on their way back to the main base.' Jaune said as the girl nodded as they began to travel back to the main base a Fang soldier finally. Came to see what the commotion was all about as Jaune and Hino walked away to the main base, leaving the scarred valley alone as they sighed heavily and walked away.

* * *

" _Jaune!"_  
 _"Kage!"_  
Ruby and Mika said at the same time before they both froze as Jaune, Ruby, Hino, and Mika froze as the beaten, battered and bleeding!? Forms of Kage and Zach came into the main staging area where they had been dropped off as Kage and Zach helped the other one to the base as Kage and Ach groaned and-  
 _"Kage?! Zach!?_ What happened to you?! Are you ok!?"  
Ruby asked blurring of the two as Zach and Kage shared a look as-  
"Well! Go right on ahead Kage! Tell her about _It_!" Zach snarled as Kage sighed.

"Ruby. I don't know how else to say this so I'm just going to say _it."_

"Say what? What do you have to tell me, what's _it?_ Kage?" Ruby asked as kage gulped putting both of his hands on her shoulders fixing her with a knowing look and-  
"Ruby."  
"Yes, Kage?"  
"I tossed your mom in a _meat grinder."_

* * *

 **AN. Well! There it is! The _Death Korps_ Triumph! Horray! Bastion wins the fight. Jaune and Hino beat Raven! And even takes her arm! Reven reals a _bit_ about what is happening in the rest of the world and the story moves on! Thanks for reading _Game on_ is next and have a good day!**

 **PS. Yeah. Kage threw Summer into a meat grinder. That's _confirmed._**

* * *

 **Omake Hero of Remnant. Part sixteen. Strange bedfellows.**

Jaune was once again having a bad day. No bad did not begin to describe what was happening to him. As Jaune was currently face down in a sewer tunnel alone or he would have _liked!_ To be alone as his companion and he did use that word in the loosest way possible crouched next to him.

"Commissar. What is our plan? Both yours and my people are lost from us. What shall we do in your _expert_ opinion?" Sieena Khan his lates _ally_ asked as the two of them had gotten separated from thier respective people in a surprise Grimm attack that caught them both off guard as the two of them sat huddled shaking alone in a damn cold and probably forgotten corner of the most ass ends of cities long forgotten sewer system as Jaune sighed.

"Regroup and head back to our people. Don't get eaten by Grimm and survive. Do you have a _map?"_

"I have a _holo globe."_

"A what?"  
"Think of it like a map that maps itself. It can search out and find us the closest way back to the surface or our people that is. Assuming it can pick up thier biosignatures that is.'

Sieena said her cat eyes seeing easily into the gloom of the sullen dank tunnel that they hid in where ever stray jolt of metal mad Jaune skin crawls as he imaged Beowulfs, Ursa and just about every other damned thing that would come after his blood killing him and ripping him apart in a truly ghoulish manner as he sighed.

"Good. Now let's get going I don't want to say in one place too long. I don't like to be _traped._ " Jaune said as the woman nodded.

"I agree. You are as quick-witted as the legends say _Commisar Arc._ I would like you to know that the Fang have an entire holo floor dedicated to you t the great library."

"You have a library dedicated to me?"

"We have a floor dedicated to _all_ of the great warriors of Remnant. And you are one of if not the greatest I have ever seen."

Sieena said as Jaune sighed."

"Thanks but less talking more not getting murdered. We have a lot of ground to go over even with your-

 _"Holo Globe."_

"Yes that guiding us so let's not waste any time k?" Jaune asked drawing _Croca Mors_ as the woman drew her beam rifle as the two set off on their quest to link back up with their own people find out what in Monty's name was wrong in the city and get the hell out of here in the process...


	33. Pillar one Devil we know

**AN: Here it is! Another exciting chapter of Bastion! In this one, we get the _fallout_ from the rather unfortunate _meat_ grinder incident. As well as a look into the backstory of Kage and his _home_ life! Also! A new Bastion teacher is coming! So look out! All this and more on his week's _Bastion!_**

 **Ps... There is a MAJOR hint in this chapter to what Mika really _is_. I won't give it away but look for it, it's there...**

* * *

 _"Pffffttt!_ Ok, Kage! _Right!_ " Ruby said as she waved down the boy as he gave her a slight frown.  
"Ruby. I'm _serious_." The boy said to his friend as they flew back home. Or well they flew back to Bastion that is. Not thier real home, although recently it was feeling more like it than Jaune's real home, in Beacon. The battle at the wilds had gone about as well as one could hope. Jaune, Hino Kage, and Zach all made it out ok. Well most of them made it out ok. More or less...

Kage and Zach took a _pounding_ from whatever or _whoever_ the hell they fought. Jaune sighed as he took off his gas mask, sighing as he looked into the cold dead glassy, almost insectile eyes of the mask, as he held it into his lap and-

 _"AHHH!_ God dammit! Can you be gentle?!"  
"Can you just stay still!?"  
Hino asked her partner _bent_ over her lap as she worked his back. Zach's back was torn apart by what looked like a chainsaw? So did Kage's back and part of his front know that Jaune thought about it. Kage must have been injured _severely_ for him to have actually taken damage in his center body, his semblance usually kept away any damage he would have taken, as Jaune looked to his right-  
 _"Fuck!_ Watch where you are touching!"  
"I'm trying to _fix_ you!"  
"Why are you so caring now!? You usually don't give two shits you damn _broad!"_  
"Well excuse me for being worried when my fucking partners is almost _killed!_ Now, will you sit still shut up and let me heal you, you _angry, angsty fuck!"_ Hino seated as Zach froze as an oddly subdued look came over his face as his black eyes fell to the floor.

 _"Sorry."_  
"Finally. Now hold still, you got really hurt." Hino said with a genuine tone of care in her voice as she ran her light brown hands over Zach's broken back as she worked on treating him as the bullhead rocketed away from the Fang base as team ARKM, as well as their friends, came back to Bastion. As the bullhead touched down, and Hino finally got Zach to walk upright, Kage and Ruby still had the most _bizarre_ argument.

* * *

"Listen, Kage; it's ok! You made a joke! I like it!"  
"Ruby. I'm _not_ joking. I-  
"You tossed my mom into a _meat grinder? PFF!_ Yeah right, Kage! You haven't even seen my mom!" Ruby said her fake eye whirring as it seemed to wink? At Kage as it shook while she laughed.  
"Ruby. Listen to me. I'm not joking when I say I tossed your mom into a _meat grinder."_  
"Ok, Kage! You tossed her into a _meat grinder._ Yeah right!" Ruby said laughing in her usually sharp voice that Jaune always, but now he found it downright _beautiful_ just like Ruby herself-  
 _"Don't. She's your friend, your best friend."_

Jaune thought mentally slapping himself as he shook his head. Shaking off any lecherous thought about Ruby that seemed to be only growing over the past few days. He found his eyes glued to Rubys' small, lithe form, her apparently slim near stick like form was actually surprisingly curvy and deceptively _soft_. As she was less like a stick but remarkably soft. She had smooth, pearly skin, that felt like a pillow on his hand, a _sweet doughy ass-_  
 _"Stop it!"_  
Jaune thought as-  
"Ruby. Look at me. I am _not_ joking. I tossed your mother into a _meat grinder."_ Kage said holding Ruby by the shoulders, staring her silver eye dead on as his brown eyes bore into her. As he spoke in a deadly serious voice as-  
"Sure. You tossed my mom into a _meat grinder,_ Kage! My mom is one of the best huntresses ever! I doubt you could even last one second! Against her let alone toss her into a meat grinder."  
"It was _not_ easy."  
Zach grumbled as the teens stepped foot onto the Bastion grass as the bullhead touched down. As the teens made their way across the cold Bastion grass onto the solid stonework of Bastion.

"Ruby-  
"Kage. It was funny at first but come on! How did you even find a _meat grinder_ to toss my mon in?"  
"It fell out of the _sky."_  
Kage deadpanned as Ruby's brow raised.

"It fell out of the _sky?_ In a _closed_ roof room?" Ruby asked in a disbelieving one as a wry grin spread across her thin sweet lips as she smiled at Kage.  
"It fell from the sky. _Yes."_  
Kage said in his usual monotone voice as Ruby barely suppressed a giggle.

"So a _meat grinder_ that fell from the sky! Saved you from my _mom?_ "  
"Well, it really fell from the ceiling, if we are going to get _technical_ ," Zach said wincing in pain as Hino helped him up the Bastion steps.  
"So a _meat grinder_ that fell from the sky-  
 _"Ceiling."_ Zach corrected as Ruby snorted.  
"From the _ceiling! Right.._. So a _meat grinder_ falls from the ceiling, in the middle! Of your fight and you tossed my mon into it?"  
"Yes. It's like I've been saying. I tossed your mother into a _meat grinder."_

 _"R~igh~t~._ "

"I'm being honest. I tossed her into a _meat grinder."_  
"Right. You tossed her into a _meat grinder."_  
"I _really_ did."  
"Gotcha! _Meat grinder.'_  
'You are taking this a _lot_ better than I thought. I thought you would be furious." Kage said as an actual look of curiosity appeared in his brown eyes. As they widened to the point of saucers.  
"You didn't toss my mom into a _meat grinder."_  
"You keep saying that."  
"You didn't! It's _ridiculous!"_  
"Ruby."  
Kage said stopped the young girl right before they approached the massive stone entrance of Bastion as he gripped her shoulders with both hands, as he looked at her with a deadly serious look.  
"Ruby Rose. I _Venk Kage_ have just tossed your mother into a _meat grinder_. Do you mind?"  
"No, Kage. I _don't_ mind."  
"You don't mind that _I, Venke Kage_ tossed your mother into a _meat grinder?"_  
"No. I don't find that offensive at all." Ruby said sarcastically as Kage narrowed his eyes.  
"Do you, Ruby Rose agree that I _Venke Kage_ has tossed you mother into a _meat grinder_ , and do you _promise!_ That you will hold no ill will against me for that action?"  
kage asked as Ruby rolled her eyes.  
"Yes. I Ruby Rose, will hold no ill will for you tossing my mom into a _meat grinder."_  
"Do you swear that you will not launch any retaliation actions against me or Zach?"  
"Yes. I! Ruby Rose! Swear to you! Venke Kage! That I will not engage into retaliatory behavior to you or Zach for toss my mom inot a _meat grinder."_  
"As long as you say it...  
"She said it! I am clear of all harm and wrongdoing! I have _witnesses!_ You all heard her!"  
Kage sid as Jaune blinked owlishly as Ruby rolled her eyes as the teens walked back into Beacon as they went to go have a debrief.

* * *

"So you ran into two, enemy huntresses?" Ludo asked the four teens that stood in his office. As he had dismissed the other remaining students in lieu to speak only to the ones that had been assaulted by the huntresses.  
"Describe them to me," Ludo said his piercing silver eyes piercing into Jaune's soul as he held his glare giving him nothing.

"We were assaulted by a woman wearing a bright, red suit of armor. She wielded along red katana with dust cylinder add-ons."  
"Dust cylinder you say? Go on, describe what her weapon looked like." Miss Heil asked in her _first_ non-threatening voice as Jaune nodded.

"She had several cylinders on the base of her rifle. It was almost like she had a revolver on it."  
"Really? Did she shoot you?"  
"No. She only used them to enhance her weapon. She didn't seem to be able to make ranged attacks with them, or not at least long ranged attacks that is." "I see, go on."  
Miss Heil said even in a calm tone her eyes seemed to be itching to latch onto Jaune's armor, rip it off and flay his flesh. "After that, we engage her taking minor injuries in the process."  
Jaune said as Ludo nodded.  
"And the Huntress?"  
Ludo asked as Hino said as Jaune smiled.  
"She was _disposed_ of."  
Hino said in a calm one as she cracked her knocked as Ludo gained a gohst of a smile that even if he didn't' show it chilled Jaune to his core, like a bucket of ice water had been dumped onto his back.  
"And _that_ means?"  
"We fought her to a standstill before gaining the upper hands. At which point we engaged, and defeated her. I even cut off her arm."  
Jaune said smiling as Ludo returned his smile with another ghostly one an-  
"Did you _kill_ her?"  
Miss Heil asked a rare look of genuine curiosity in her eyes as Jaune shook his head.  
"Negative she managed to escape."  
"Escape? How did she get away? Did you let her flee?" Miss Heil asked a disappointed look in her eyes as Jauen shook his head as he and Hino shared a look. Shrugging thier shoulders as Jaune spoke up.  
"No, she _cut_ the air...  
"She _cut_ the air?"  
"Yes. She used her sword to slice open a portal in the air, and she jumped through it." Jaune said not sure if the headmaster of Bastion would even believe him an-  
" _Branwen."_

"Qrow?"  
"Not exactly mister Arc. But I do believe that you met his _sibling."_  
"I met...  
"His sister Raven and you bested her. Good work, both of you. You are both a credit to Bastion."  
"Thank you, sir."  
Hino said as Jaune frowned.  
 _"Sir?"_  
"Mister Arc? You look surprised, what is the matter?"  
"Sir I don't know how to say this but...

"But? Speak your mind Mister Arc. You can talk freely for _now."_ The man added as Jaune glared at him.

"When I fought her I felt like... like she was holding back. Like she was not giving us her best."  
"Of course. Mister Arc, Miss Fang. You were engaged with Raven Branwen, if she wanted you dead you would be _dead._ Be lucky that you are alive."  
Miss Heil said ina concerned? Tone as Jaune and Hino gulped as Ludo turned dot Kage and Zach.  
"Mister Kage. Zach. Now about your encounter with a huntress. From what I have gleaned it looks like _quite_ the story." The man said grinning as Kage stepped forward.

"Sir. We engaged a powerful huntress, in close quarters combat. We fought her to a standstill before a meat grinder fell from the ceiling and I tossed her inside of it."  
Kage said in a dead paned voice as every other jaw, but Ludo's fell off its hinges as his dean took off her glasses and-

"You tossed her into a _meat-_  
" A _meat grinder_ mam. I tossed her into a _meat grinder."_  
"I... how?"  
"How what mam?"  
"How did you toss her into the grinder mister Kage?"  
"With my _arms_ mam."

" I figured that. I mean how... where... why did the _meat grinder_ fall?"  
'Simple. It was a miracle mam."  
"A miracle?"  
"Yes. The Light saw fit to bestow upon me a gift, and I was glad that I could use it."  
"Mister Kage. You can not be seriously thinking that-  
"There, there Miss Heil. We are not here to question mister Kage's spirituality."  
"But sir! He thinks that a meat grinder falling is normal-  
"Who are we to question the work of the _divine?_ Anyhow good work all of you. The mission was accomplished, and the Fang were taken into our custody, and all goals accomplished. Mister Arc, Mister Kage. Go back to your dorms along with you two. You two have a mission tomorrow so sleep tight."  
"Tomorrow sir? We just got back."  
"There is no rest from the work of a hunter Jaune. You two are elites; you do not get to take breaks. Get some food, go to bed and get ready. You will need your strength come the morning. _Dismissed."_  
Ludo said as the four students bowed to him and left the room, leaving the cackle cold fireplace and the enigmatic haunting smile of the man's face as Miss Heil rubbed her face. Her searing blood eyes covered thankfully as they left as one and the door _closed._

* * *

"Well, at least we are all still alive," Jaune said as he led his _friends_ out of the Bastion headmasters office as the four teens left to either get food or go to be. Hopefully, both, if Jaune was being honest the fight with Raven? Was worse than he thought as he was sure he hand a dislocated rib and a bruised sternum. As he walked forward into the hall his boots stomping on the ground as he sighed.  
"Well, at least we all kept our limbs. Unlike the bird chick. What's her face?"  
" _Raven."_  
"There we go."  
"At least we didn't' toss someone in a _meat grinder?"_ Hino asked looking at Kage as she sighed.  
"Kage, why do you keep telling Ruby you tossed her mom into a meat grinder?"

"I mean just what I said. I tossed her mom into a _meat grinder."_  
"You _didn't_ though."  
"Kage. You are not telling me that you tossed Ruby's mom into a meat grinder. That's ridiculous."  
"Jaune. I tossed her mom into a _meat grinder."_  
"I... how did you know it was her?"  
" _Tall. Silver eyes good tits-_  
 _Whack!_  
"Ow!"  
"You can describe a woman better than that. _Try again."_  
"She was a _literal_ clone of the kid."  
"She was Ruby's literal carbon copy, or Ruby hers. And when I mention Ruby, she knew her by name."  
Kage said as Jaune paused as he turned to face his friend.  
"You...  
"I."  
"You really tossed her mom into a _meat grinder!?"_ Jaune nearly screamed a Kage nodded.  
"That's what I've been saying for the past two hours-  
" _Kage?!_ What the _fuck!?"_  
"What the fuck what?"  
"Don't' you what the fuck what me! Why the _fuck_ did you toss Rubys' mom into a meat grinder?!"  
"Is that a _real_ question?"  
"Yes! Yes, it fucking is!"  
"What did you expect me to do? _Not_ toss her into a meat grinder." Kage as Jaune's eye began to twitch, as an unhealthy twinge appeared on his face. As a vein bulged out of his skull exasperating his deep trio of red scars on his face. As he ground his teeth.  
"Yes! That is _exactly_ what I expected you to do!"  
"How was I supposed to know?"  
"How were you expected to know to _not_! Toss your _friends_ and teammates! Mom inot a fucking meat grinder!? Is that what you are asking!?"  
 _"Yes."_  
"I... I can't do this... don't bring this up with her again. That's an order." Jaune almost snarled not believing what he had jsut hear as Kage shrugged.  
"As you say, she already agreed to not get mad at me for it."  
"She thinks you are _joking!"_  
"Why? I was being dead honest with her."  
"She thinks it's a joke! How the hell would you react if Ruby told you she tossed you mom in a meat grinder!?"

"I'd ask her _A_ the hell she found my mothers grave, and _B._ Why did she dig her up, drag her to a meat grinder put together her ashes and toss them into one."  
Kage deadpanned as Jaune froze as his mouth clenched as a grimace came to his face.  
"Your mom is dead?" Jaune asked instantly treading on eggshells. Not wanting to offend his best friend and honestly only stable Bastion insider that he coudl trust. As he cursed himself for talking with emotion. Not goign about it logically with a cool demeanor and-  
"Been dead, for a _long, long_ time.'  
Kage said without a hint, of emotion as Jaune gulped.  
"I'm sorry-  
"For what?" Kage asked honestly confused as Jaune gulped.  
"For your mother."  
"Why? You didn't have anything to do with her death now did you?"  
"No, but-  
"Then why apologize? Not like you _fed_ her to a Beowful while I watched." Kage said as Jaune sensed something _sharp_ , in his tone as Kage sigh yawing heavily as he began to walk away and-  
"Don't. Let this one go. Kage's family life is _not_ for the faint of heart. Even _I_ don't like to hear about it and I'm his _best_ friend."  
Zach said as he gripped Jaune's shoulder with a deadly look in his black eyes as Jaune frowned,  
"He-  
"Jaune. Kage's past if often best left alone. Unless he tells you do not bring it up. You often do not want to know."

Hino said as a frown came over her beautiful light pink lips as Jaune let out a small gasp as he sighed and turned around to go back to his dorm.

* * *

 _"YUM!_ I'm so glad we can eat before our mission!" Ruby said as she devoured her breakfast as Jaune sat next to his partner while Kage and Mik ate silently or Kage did. Mika prattled on and on into a disturbing _Nora like_ way talking about every topic under the sun as Kage merely nodded, either half listening or completely tuning her out as he ate his usual fried tuber and meat meal. As Jaune bit into his ham and toast, grateful that the quality of meals here in Bastion had not gone down. As it was one of the growing numbers of things that Jaune learned to like about this school better than Beacon as he ate with his team.  
"SO! _~Boss man~!_ What's the play today? We got any missions to do? Any bad guys that need a good _charbroil?"_ Mika asked slamming her flamer onto the table with a heavy thud! As Kage sighed.  
"Mika. _Not_ while we are eating."  
"Oh come on! You know you like to fry a bad guy or two! So what' the play _Jaune~Jaune_! We killing bad guys or are we _killing bad guys?"_

Mika asked her sharp green eyes glittering with an almost _animalistic_ need for carnage that reminded him of Nora but more.. carnal. As Mika looked ready to flay the flesh from her enemies rather than _boop_ them into a good night sleep.  
"I don't know. All I know is that after this we see Ludo and we get our assignment." Jaune replied evenly as Mika gasped.  
"OH! I know! We get to kill the _good guys_ for a change! Oh, this is going to be _f~u~n~!"_

Mika said as Jaune froze as Ruby gave her a curious look.  
"Killing the _good guys?_ Why would we ever do that?"  
Ruby asked a curious look in her eyes as Jaune remembered the Branwen tribe. Killing those Atlas men was a direct example of him killing the good guys, as Jaune realized that ther may be many more times when he is asked to kill the good guys again.  
The notion bothered him, shaking him to the core as-  
" _~Boss man~?_ You look a bit shook up! What's the matter?"  
Mika asked leaning over the table in what looked like an impossible angle as Jaune saw it! There was something wrong about Mika's eyes. As he looked into him some _deep, primal instinctual!_

Voice that was as much of part of his as his need to breathe air screamed! At Jaune to run away from her! To take his plasma pistol and fire it repeatedly into her face until he ran out of charge.  
Ther was something wrong about Mika's eyes...  
They were _bright_! Far, _far_ too bright. They looked sharp but almost... _artificial?_ As Jaune squinted at Mika the more he noticed just how... _perfect_ she looked.  
Her face was _perfect_ like it was not even a persons face, it was almost like it had been _created_ to be a perfect replica of a human face. But the creator neglected to look into the fact that _no_ human ever had a truly _perfect_ face like hers.

Her smooth chalk white skin was completely free on _any_ and all blemishes and shone almost like it had been _polished?_ In the sun? Her eyes while fierce and powerful had something _cold_ about them. Like ther was a fire that burned dull deep inside of them as Jaune swore! He felt something in her eyes. He felt a type of _intelligence?_ Something old and horrifying that lurked in her eyes just beyond his sight and was waiting to bound to the surface and-  
" _~Jaune~ Jaune?_ You ok? You look a bit _shook."_  
Mika hissed as every instance in Jaune's body screamed run and-  
"Mika. _Stop._ Don't tease Jaune."  
Kage said as Mika yanked! Herself back as she smiled.  
" _Okie Dokie Kage!_ Whatever you say!"  
The girl said as Jaune suppressed a tremor of terror in his spine as they ate breakfast. As breakfast ended Jaune ordered his team to go to Ludo before him. His interaction with Mika had left a bad taste in his mouth, as he sat alone before Zach and Hino joined him.

* * *

"Jaune. _Good morning_ , I trust you slept well?" Hino asked in her usual melodic one as Jaune gave her a genuine smile.  
"Yes I did, thank you."  
"I am glad."  
"Well, I slept like _shit!_ Thank's for asking by the way." Zach said as he sat down a plate of eggs bacon and sausage in front of him as-  
"The hell happened to you blondie?" The boy asked taking a bit out of his sausage as Jaune shook his head.  
"Nothing."  
 _"BS!_ You look like you just saw a gohst! Or a pair of nipples that you didn't look at through your scroll you damn _virgin!"_  
 _WHAP!_  
"Don't mind him Jaune, but you do look off. If you wish to talk about it I am more than willing to help you."  
"No, it's fine... it's just...  
"Just what? You finally see Red naked? You finally got the balls to put your _holy sword_ into her _pure sheath_ yet?"

"NO! I... I just talked to Mika...  
"Oh. Nevermind that would scare even the hardiest of men. My _condolences."_  
"It's not that... I ... I saw something in her eyes. She's not _right..._  
"Oh? You _finally_ noticed that? Took you long enough." Zach said devouring his food as Jaune shook his head again in frustration.  
"No! it's not that! She's a mystery to me! I need to know my teammates and I know almost nothing about her! Besides her name, weaponry, _unique fashion choice."_  
"That's the fucking nicest way you can say, she is a _serial killer."_  
"I mean I don't even know her semblance-  
"She's a _plague."_  
Zach said without hesitation as Jaune froze.  
"A _plague?"_  
"You heard me. She is a _literal plague_ upon our world. You want nothing to do with her."

"Kage said a similar thing, he called her a _virus_. What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what he said! She's a _virus!_ A _plague_ in human form! Don't let her chipper smile fool you that girls-  
"A _monster..._  
Jaune said as Zach nodded.  
" _Damn right!_ Glad to see you got something rocking around up ther beside dead air."  
"She's _not_ human."  
 _"Whoa_! Look at mister smarty pants! Got that in one!" Zachs said as Jaune balked.  
"She's _not_ human?!"  
"That is a _rough!_ Statment Jaune, but not an inaccurate one. To describe her best... I'd say she is _half_ human."  
Hino said with a grimace as Jaune gulped.  
"Half human and half _what?"_  
"That is _not_ my place to say. But. To clam you mind take this. Open it when you are alone and read it when you know no one is watching. Use you leader privileges to access some of Bastions data banks and _never!_ Breath a word of what you read aloud."

Hino said reaching into her peace and sliding Jaune a piece of paper, as Jaune nodded putting it itno f of the many pockets of his new armor as she sighed finishing his break bidding his friends goodbye as he went to see Ludo.

* * *

"Now that you are all here! Let's get into your next task! It is an important one of this I can assure you!"  
Ludo said as jaune winced as the towering form of Uzepi walked in front of him. The team ARKM chaperone towered over all of them over seven feet tall with muscles made out of steel cables as she smirked at Ludo her purple eyes shining in the off light of the fireplace.  
"Hit me boss man, we can take anything."  
"I like your attitude Uzepi! Now let's go tot he mission, any questions before I begin? Yes! Miss Rose."  
"Um sir... we are not going to be killing the good guys for this one, are we? Mike said we might and-  
"What?! _Killing the good guys!?_ That's _preposterous!_ Miss Rose, I assure you that I have _never_ through action nor inaction killed one of the good guys in my life!"  
The man said as _Jaune, Kage, Uzepi_ even _Miss Heil_ all raised a questioning eyebrow at the man as if he had jsut grown a second head as he kept talking. "For your next mission! You can rest safely knowing that you all have the _absolute!_ And _complete moral ground_ when doing it!"  
"Oh god."  
Uzepi said as a _horrified_ expression came on her face as Jaune felt an inkling of terror as he had a feeling that this was going to be a hideous mission as-  
"For the next mission, you will be tasked with the freeing of a _political prisoner!"_  
The man said as Jaune's mouth dropped as the last thing he ever expected Ludo to say left this mouth as he blinked owlishly at the man.  
"Sir? Did you say a political prisoner? " Jaune asked not believing what he heard or that Bastion would even care about stuff like that.  
"Of course! You see one of our staff members has been suddenly! And more important wrongly jailed by the _corrupt!_ An _d disingenuous_ international community! And you are going to get him out!"  
The man said as Jaune's jaw dropped and-  
"You mean-  
"You heard me! You are all going to go on a _jailbreak!"_

* * *

 _"OK!_ You all know the mission, but let me go over this one more time!"  
Uzepi said as she stalked back and forth in the well lite shaking cabin on the bullhead, _Vesperia_ as Kiera flew them to their target.  
"Our target and apparently a new colleague of mine is a Bastion teacher that has been captured by the international government. specifically Atlas. He is being held here! In a secret Atlas Black site with no name other than _Zero two."_  
Uzepi said as the craft shook and rocked. Ad they flew over a particularly bad part of turbulence making the craft lurch and Jaune's guts _churn_ as his air sickness kicked in as she went on.  
"Once we have arrived at the site Zero two we will split into two teams. Ruby, Mika. You will be dropped off at a lower level to infiltrate the enemy sewers."  
"I have to go in a _sewer?!"_ Ruby said whining as her eye retched.  
"Yes, you do now quit complaining. We need you two to go in a bring this!"  
Uzip held out a small satchel with her as she tossed it to Ruby who barley. Caught it in her hands as gasped as she struggled to carry the object.  
"It's heavy!"  
"I know. It's a com jammer. You need to take it to the map I've marked in your scroll. You will plant it there and the reunite with us once we have secured the prisoner. That jammer will stop Atlas form calling back up if we don't do that we are shot down before we ever get home."  
The woman said as Mika and Ruby nodded as she turned to Jaune and Kage.  
"Now you two, you are with me. We have acquired three Atlas uniforms from an insider source along with passcodes key cards and a schedule of the guards. We will be dropped off here, at the front of the base where we will infiltrate it, head to the prisoner room. Unlock it and give him this."  
Uzepi said drawing out a plain white tube that was over three feet long and half a foot wide, with a carrying strap around it.  
"The hell is _that?"_  
Jaune asked as she tossed him the tube as he caught it deftly.  
"That is how we get out. Once the prisoner is free give him the tube and we will break our way out of the jail. Any questions?"  
Uzepi asked as all four teens shook their heads.  
"Good!" Now ready up we got a job to _do!"_

Uzepi said as the various members of team _ARKM_ went about preparing for the mission at hand. Mika took out her flamethrower _Chamberlain?_ As she began to wipe off its sides polishing it while she hummed.  
Kage took apart disassembled and reassembled his guns. Cleaning his massive bolts pistols as he gave a low whistle as he took out a small weapons cleaning kit form the bottom of his seat as he meticulously cleaned this guns.  
Ruby took her baby _Crescent Rose_ in her lap and gave it a once over as she inspects each and every part of it. As her augmented eyes poke out and inspected her weapon. No doubt giver her an inhuman level of accuracy when looking into is as Jaune froze.

Jaune did not look at his weapons, no he did not even make the effort to clean his weapons. Even if his Plasma pistol and sword did not need the attention he would normally look them over. His weapons were all brand new, more or less. Or there conditioning was.  
Jaune's mind was preoccupied with the note in his pocket. The not Hino told him to read alone. When no one was watching and to never speak of what he read aloud.  
 _"Not human? What does that mean? How can she not be human?!"_  
Jaune thought as a million thoughts raced into his head.  
" _A virus? A plague? What does that mean? How can she be all of those things? What do they mean? How can she not be a human? She's sitting right there!"_  
Jaune thought as he wracked his brains trying to come up with an answer to the questions. Mika was his teammate. Hell! He'd even go so far as to call her a friend! But now? Well, now Jaune was just confused, too many variables, not enough time to think the all out and-  
"Something matter _~Boss man~?_ You look preoccupied."  
Mika asked as Jaune flashed her an easy smile.  
"Nope! Nothing's the matter! All good." Jaune said as-  
 **"He's lying."**  
Ruby's eye told her as it picked up on the tell-tale signs of human deception. Ruby's eye said as she nodded.  
 _"Let's not press him."_  
 **"But why? He is _our_ friend and _your_ love interest. Why not press to see what is the matter?"**  
" _People need time to think. Let's give him that."_  
 **"As you wish."**  
The eye said as the craft flew through the air as Jaune felt like he had a glowing coal in his pocket. As he wrestled with the weight of whatever the hell was in his pocket versus what the hell this mission was going to be.  
" _A political prisoner? No a teacher!? How the hell did a Bastion teacher get caught? Why the hell was a Bastion teach anywhere near Atlas? And why did the catch him? Doesn't Bastion work with the government?"_ Jaune thought as even more questions filled his mind as the ship flew into the night.

* * *

"Alright! You two have two hours to get in and get back out here! Remember if you turn and run your collar _will_ kill you ok?"  
"Ok!"  
"We got it _boss lady!"_  
Ruby and Mika said as Uzpepi nodded.  
"Alright! Take us up!"  
" _Ruby! Be safe!"_  
"I will Jaune! _You too!"_  
"Bye Kage! I _love_ you!"  
 _"Eh."_  
"that means he loves me! Right, Kage?!"

Mika asked as Kage shrugged once lazily to her as the ship turned away and flew into the night.

* * *

Leaving both Mika and Ruby alone in a minor bog on the outskirts of the base. The tow stood in ankle deep brown _muck_ that filled the _dead_ swamp that led to the open sewer gate that led into a massive sewer tunnel that would apparently lead them to their target. "Ready when you are Ruby!"  
"I'm about as ready as I'll ever be," Ruby grumbled as she and Mika made thier way into the tube as _their_ mission began.

* * *

"You are the relief squad?"  
"Yes! That's us! I'm lieutenant-  
 _"Holiday?"_  
"Yes, that's me! Lieutenant Holiday at your service!" The woman with purple hair and huge biceps said as the man nodded.

" _I see..."_

The Atlas guard the real one said as Uzepi introduce her Jaune and Kage under fake names. The later two hiding behind thier Atlas visors as thier chaperone introduced them.  
"Well, your papers check out. It's just not usual for a relief team to get where when the team that they are reliving are not done for an hour."  
"Well, you know how the filing works! We get told what to do by some pen pusher and here we are. Wating our time when we could be asleep or drinking right?"  
She asked as the man a young man in his mid-thirties with tan skin smiled.  
 _"Damn right._ Well take your time, you can go along your assigned route and we will just have two patrols going." The man said as he stepped aside to let the three in, as the massive metal door on the face of the mountain they had been dropped of at slid open revealing a pure clean white inside as the three infiltrators walked inside.

* * *

"Ok, take your positions."  
Uzepi hissed as she walked in front of Jaune and Kage. The two filing into quick lockstep behind her as they marched into the base. The base was oddly liked Jaune expected. Time with Weiss was not what you might call _plesant..._ but it did give him a brief idea of what an Atlas base would look like. Sterile walls, octagonal hallways of pure white with fluorescent lights that _hummed!_ In a way that made his teeth go on edge. As the three walked inside.  
 _"Mam_. What's our plan now?"  
Jaune asked as the three marched in a somen step. The long bulky assault rifles in their hands gripped close to their chests as they walked past pairs of two to three guards all in similar white uniforms and body armor.  
"Simple. Get in, go to the cells. Use our codes and free the prisoner."  
"And the guards?" Kage asked looking at all the passing guards grimacing at the fact that they might jsut have to fight their way out an of a _fully_ staffed base as Uzpei chuckled.  
"Don't you worry about that. Once we give our _asset_ that tube Jaune's got on his back. No one can stop us." Uzepi said calmly as the three marched on.

* * *

"Are you the relief squad?"  
A man asked as Uzepi nodded. "Sure am! We got here early so feel free to take a break! You look like you earned it." Uzi said grinning under her mask as her and her charges stood in front of the elevator room as the men sighed.  
"Thanks, we really! Needed a break. We'll be going thanks for the shift!"  
"You are welcome"!  
Uzepi said as the guards walked away as the three spit up. Uzepi went to a control panel across the room they stood in as she checked the map of the base to a terminal. kage used a small device Uzepi gave to him as he looked to see if the Atlas signal where being jammed and Jaune having no real technical skills stood guard.  
Or he would have if not for his curiosity _finally!_ Getting the better of him as he took out the slim note in his pocket as he read the three blood black words on it as the paper read. _**Blacklight. Mercer. Childs.** _On it with the last word underlined twice? For some reason as Jaune blinked owlishly at it.  
" _Blacklight? Mercer? Childs? What the hell is all of this?"_ Jaune thought as aloud ding! Was heard and-  
"Signals jammed."  
Kage reported as another design!  
Filled the air as the elevator hit the top floor as Uzepi smiled.  
"Good work boys! Now let's get this show on the road!"  
She said as all three of them got on the effort as it closed shut with an ominous _hiss!_ Of air as it began to fall.

* * *

"This is going well...  
Jaune said dryly as the wide elevator fell into the base as Uzepi smirked.  
"Careful blondie. Sounds like you _want_ shit to hit the fan."  
"I don't. But is infiltrating a military was really this easy?"  
"When you have contacts as good a mine? Yes. Yes, it is." Uzepi said proudly as the elevator after over three minutes of falling finally hit bottom as the doors opened to reveal a strange sight.  
There was a _pool?_ In front of Jaune, a massive shallow pool filled with light green water with a medium size white box surrounded by plastic? Chains on it in the middle of it as-  
"That's our guy. Let's go."  
"In the _box!?'_  
"Yeah, that's him. Follow me Jaune, bout time you learned something. Kage watches our backs."  
"On it."  
The boy said as he turned around dutifull assault rifle raised as Uzepi led Jaune. The two walked on a thin metal catwalk that led to the white box? As Uzepi knelt by it taking out a slim blue card as she smiled.  
"Watch closely Jaune. You are about to see a sight most men have killed to see." The woman said as she slid her card into a narrow port on the box? As it clicked!  
Several times before flashing blue as the box slid open. Hissing and popping as it opened itself as-  
 _"GAHHH!"_  
Coughing came from the box as a figure reared up. The figure was clearly a man, he was tall. Around six three, with a healthy tan to his skin covered in warm water and bound by a white straight jacket as he stumbled out of the pod as Uzepi caught him.  
"Whoa, there _big fella!_ I gotcha! Take it easy! Breathe! Breathe! Let's get you out of those clothes k?"  
Uzepi asked as she drew a small knife slicing the man's bond apart as-  
"You have my thanks _human_. Now let us escape."  
The man now show to be a faunus said as Jaune saw him clearly, he was tall, broadly muscled with blood red hair that had two horns coming out from his head and-  
"You. The _human_ with the blonde hair. You have my sword. Give it to me."  
The man said in a tone that brokered no argument as Jaune nodded.  
Walking up to him handing him the tube as the man _popped_! It open drawing out a long red katana with a black sheath as he smiled. " I missed you _baby."_ He said lovingly to his sword and-  
"Reunite later. We got to get the hell out of here." Uzepi said as the man nodded curtly putting his sword to the side as he nodded.  
"Of course, let us go you...  
"Oh, my name's Uzepi. And this is Jaune Arc."  
"Nice to meet you?"  
Jaune asked holding out a hand as the man paused for a moment as Jaune swore! It looked like he was going to cut off his hand before sighing as he reluctantly shook it instead.  
"Jaune Arc it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is _Adam Taurus."_

* * *

 **AN: Well! Here we go! Another day another new _teacher!_ That's right! The newest teacher to Bastion _loved_ staff is none other than _Adam Taurus!_ Why is he here? Why is he not leading the White Fang? How did he know Ludo enough for the man to get a _job offer!?_ What is Mika?! All these answers will be answered in the future so stay tuned!**

 **PS. I just finished my _first_ story _Endangered species_ and in a brief ball of post writing energy I wrote this chapter in less than half a day so here it is! The next chapter is _pure_ bloodshed and death so look forward to it! The next story I'm doing is _Game on_ with even _more_! Bloodshed and death in it than usual! Even for me! So if you like reading this stories _sister_ fic check it out! Until then? _Omake..._**

* * *

 **Omake _Hero of Remnant_ part sixteen.** _**Long way from home.** _

"You see _em?"_  
"No. My scanners are not picking up on anything. I suggest that we keep moving."  
"No arguments here."  
Jaune said as he and Sieena moved in the tunnel system. The imperial and the Fang member moving stealthily into the bowels of the city as they lurked in the shadows.  
Jaune and Sieena had been separated from thier respective groups for over five hours now and it was not looking like they would have a speedy reunion. Jaune and Sieena had been lurking in the sewers following her map. If you wanted to insult the tech-heresy she posses by comparing it to a map that is. As Sieena led the way, Jaune was forced to follow her almost on blind faith.

For one she was a faunus so she see's at night. Two, her helmet gave her a myriad of sensors to follow as Jaune had one sole lumen orb to light his way with sickly yellow light that revealed cracked metal broken walls crumbling hallways and more byzantine anomalies built eons ago in this labyrinth of a sewer system. As the two made thier way into the ducts and pathways Jaune thought of Ren, wondering if his best friend was getting along well in his absence. Jaune hoped that his second had not tired of the others and was not shooting wildly in the shadows trying to dig Jaune out.

"Sieena, how close are we to the surface?"  
Jaune asked as the faunus paused sniffing the air as she looked around in her mask.  
"Not far but I am picking up heat signatures further down this tunnel."  
"Heat signatures?" Jaune asked already not liking this line of talk. Heat signatures usually meant life. There was not supposed to be living this far down in the city. That meant that whatever life was down her was most likely not friendly or worse. Intelligent enough or strong enough to survive in the sewers and large enough.

In biomass to trip her sensors. None of this equations sounded good to Jaune as the commissar gulped as Sieena led the way.  
"Are you sure we should be checking out heat sigs? I mean shouldn't we just make our way to the surface instead?"  
"No. We might run into hurt humans or faunus who are in need of our assistance. We can not leave them here. The greater good will not allow it!"  
Sieena said as Jaune sighed as he followed the admittedly attractive woman who's swing bodacious backside he was total! Not looking at or saving each and every last detail of its aforementioned swinging into his mind as his barely working lumen gave light to the cramped sewer tunnel they crawled in as-  
"Commissar! _Look!"_  
The woman said as she stopped at a perch where an odd amount of blue? Light shone in a massive underground cavern as bioluminescent moss lit up the room as Jaune peered out the top of the tunnel and almost screamed There where Grimm in the city. The fact that Grimm where here and in the dozens was enough for most men to panic and Jaune to call in a damn air strike but this was worse than normal Grimm.  
These things walked upright with six long sinewy arms, and glaring hateful yellow eyes and-  
 _"Gene stealers."_  
Jaune said a tremor of terror in his voice as-

"What are _gene stealers?"_ Sieena asked as she moved her arm knocking ove a rock that fell for several long seconds before-  
 _BANG!_  
The rock hit the ground as every pair of beady yellow eyes looked up and locked onto them as-  
 _"Run."_  
Jaune said gripping the woman as a chorus of bestial roars filled the tunnel as they began to run for thier lives.


	34. Pillar one Staff hire

**AN: Jailbreak time kiddos! In this run, we see how the Bastion crew handles a jail break. Ruby learns a thing or two about Mika. Her eye get's a _bit_ chatty. Jaune learns 's about a _new_ part of Bastion and the fight is on! This chapter is a bit of a set up for the next one but hold on! This is going to be one _helluva_ ride.**

 **PS. No one seems's to get the _clue_ to what Mika is. Even if it is literally hitting you in the fact. The thing is _obvious_ but well hidden...**

* * *

 _"Adam Taurus."_  
The man in the white garb still slick with water said as Jaune nodded.  
"Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you?"  
Jaune asked the taller prisoner as the man got out of his cell? If you would call a small white box a cell and not a human right's violation. Shaking off the water that was on him as-  
 _"Uzepi Kogorwachi!_ Nice to meet you!"  
The woman said holding out a firm hand as _Adam?_ Gripped it with his own.

" _Likewise."_

He said without much emotion as Uzepit grinned a toothy grin showing her perfect white teeth.

"Hey! I'm your, new colleague!"  
She said as Adam frowned.  
"You are my new coworker are you not?"

"Sure am! Now let's get the hell out of this prison!"

Uzepi said as all three of the Bastion infiltrators nodded at once. As the four of them left the pristine yet odd jail cell of the Atlas prison and made their way back tot he elevator shaft and eventually freedom.

* * *

"Yah! I _hate_ the mud!"  
Ruby whined as she and Mink crept through the sewer duct as they went to take down the communications of the jail so the jailbreak coudl proceed. The journey was not what Ruby had been anticipating, but now that she thought about what had she been expecting? Roses? Medals? She was just glad that the sewer system seems to be in far disrepair. And there was no _active_ use of it that would have made her gag.  
 **"Somethings wrong."**  
Her eye _said_ as Ruby ducked, avoiding a falling _stalagmite? Stalagtite?_ Whatever the name of the things that pointed down in caves where. As her eye told her that they were several built-up mineral deposits in the sewer that formed such things. To Ruby, they looked like grey fangs jutting from the mouth of some giant serpent. As she walked in the drain, the word was lit in a crimson hue as her eye showed that the area she was in in a vibrant red tone.  
As she walked behind her narrowly moving her head to avoid the falling fangs.  
" _What do you mean?"_  
Ruby thought as her eye whirred up as it narrowed on Mika.  
 **"Somethings wrong with her."**  
It said as the older silver hair girl hummed lowly as she almost skipped! Through the narrow sewer tunnels as Ruby cocked her head.  
" _What's wrong with her?"_ She asked not know what her eye, or as she called it affectionately _Eye_ y said as Ruby watched her _best_ female friend.  
 **"Look at her. She's walking."**  
 _"I can see that."_  
" **No, look at her. She's walking _normally."_**  
The eye said as Ruby frowned.  
 _"I don't see the problem."_  
Ruby said as-  
 **"look at her. What is she doing?"**  
 _"She's walking?"_  
" **And?"**  
" _She's walking avoiding the-_  
 **"Yes. Look at her; she's avoiding running into the tunnel mineral runoff."**  
 _"How is that strange?"_  
 **"Ruby. How is she doing that?"**  
 _"She's looking at them and-_  
Ruby's train of thought died as she saw _it._  
Mika was walking freely in the sewer, her long, lanky body bobbed and ducked in and out of the falling fangs as-  
 _"She can see them?"_ Ruby asked as she saw that Mika was not only not hitting the _tusks_ as she was outright avoiding them. Like she could see them, but that could not be the case. They were in the sewer, and it was pitch black in there. With no source of light.

Ruby was half blown with her own false eye reading the area as she noticed Mika's unnerving accuracy of avoiding, the object. Bobbing out of the way at the last second.  
 **"Ask her if she is part faunus."**  
"Hey, Mika?"  
"Yes, friend Ruby! How can I be of assistance to you?"  
Mika asked in her usual sing sone voice. As she _skipped_ in the tunnel.  
"Are you part faunus?" Ruby asked as Mika paused as she bobbed out of the way of other obstructions as she frowned.  
 _"Nope!_ I'm _all_ human! Just like you! Why do you ask?"  
"Becuase you are avoiding these stalagmites pretty well! I mean it's pitch black in here, and you are avoiding them pretty well. It's almost like you can _see!_ "  
 **"Heartbeat increased detected.** "  
He eye _said_ as Mika froze like she had been stuck in ice.  
" _Oh_! I... I Guess I'm just getting lucky! Haha!" Mika said in an off voice as a forced smile came on her face as Ruby's eye narrowed its glare on her as Mika laughed it off skipping further down the tunnel allowing more splashes of water to fill the air as-  
 _Fwap!_  
"Ahh! That one really got me!"  
Mika said running _head-on_ into one of them as-  
" **She's faking it."**  
Her eye said as it kept its eye on Mika.  
" _Ow!_ You see that Ruby! I ran into one! Haha! Clumsy me!"  
Mika said before maintaining her pace as they walked down the sewer. As the pair of Bastion student walked int the depths of the tunnel.

* * *

"So what's the plan?"  
Jaune asked as he Uzepi, Kage and now Adam. Made thier way into the elevator shaft. The four of them made their way into the elevator as the silver doors closed, and the large almost freight level type of elevator raised up from the ground and began carrying them into the top of the jail.

"Now we get the hell out. We have to fight our way out of her more than likely so expect a fight once the doors opened."  
Uzepi said sighing heavily as Kage rubbed his head.  
"Great. Now we have to shoot our way out. Great."  
"What did you expect from a jailbreak?"  
Uzepi asked her _student_ , as her long purple hair no longer contained by her silver Atlas soldier helmet flowed freely to the foot of her silver uniform as it rested on her now white combat boots.  
"I expected a _clean_ jailbreak. When we get in get out and make our way to toe bullhead before we have to kill half the base in the process."  
"Kage this was going to go and from the beginning. You knew that right?"  
Jaune asked his friend as Kage sighed and-  
"Death is an _inevitable_ consequence of our line of work. Do not feel bad about it Jaune? We will fight our way out and kill those who resist." Adam said cooly taking out his long red sword as he looked on with a tired look on his red eyes. As the man looked ahead with a grim glare as the elevator finally _dinged!_ As it finally reached the top of its ride. As the elevator doors opened up revealing three Atlas soldiers who looked at them and gasped.  
"Hey! What's going on-  
 _Fweeeooh!_  
A sharp whistle? Filled the air as-  
 _FISHT!_  
The soldiers _popped!_ Literally. Jaune watched as the three men literally popped like they where water balloons. As thier bodies popped like ripe grapes, ther armor flying off in long whit shard as blood, bone, and sinew filled the air. As the men fell apart on the ground as Jaune gagged.  
"What the-  
"Hah! That's why we got this guy!"  
Uzepi said loudly, smiling broadly as they popped! Men fell onto the floor as Adam sheathed his sword. Putting away the weapon as he sighed.  
"Let us be off. I wish to be out of this hell hole as soon as I can."

Adam said as he led the way out of the elevator not caring about the dead men's eviscerated bodies as he stepped on the blood-slicked floor.  
Creating loud wet _slicking_ noises. As Jaune grimaced.  
 _"How the hell did that just happen?"_  
Jaune thought as he wondered how the man had butchered the soldiers with such ease. Adam killed them without out Jaune even noticing. Not hearing anything but his whistle until they just popped!  
"I need to pay attention."  
The boy thoguht as the three of them flowered Adam out guns ready, the assault rifle in his hands was not, what he was accustom to using but it was good.  
It was an Atlas made a weapon so it had to be good. The nation might not be known for fair labor practices but they did make damn reliable firearms at least. Jaune thought as-  
"Heads up. We got _incoming."_  
Kage said in his usual monotone voice raising his blocky white assault rifle, the weapon looked _off_ in his hands. As Jaune had grown accustomed to his typical bolt pistols and nothing else, as the floor _shook_ as the first sine of guard troops rushed them as-  
"Then we will kill them. Stay behind me." Adam said drawing his sword as the three of them raised their white blocked assault rifles as a long octagonal door opened as a dozen armed men spilled out and the fighting _began._

* * *

 _"Ouch_! What's up with these things!? Am I right?"  
Mika asked after banging her head into another piece of mineral as-  
 **"She's faking it. Watch, her face hardened right before she impacted. She knows that the blow is coming. She can see."** Her eye said as Ruby nodded. Mika had been doing this for some time now. As their scrolls showed them their inevitable destination. They were going farther into the tunnel long past most of the murky muddy water and into the are proper.

As Ruby noted how mink would avoid some of the minerals before running headfirst into them. At roughly _one_ out of three ratios. dodging two hitting one with a loud w _hap!_  
Making her seem like she was accidentally bumping into them as Ruby frowned.  
 _"How can she see? Does she have a faunus trait that I don't know about?"_  
 **"Negative. I can see her form."**  
" _What?"_  
 **"Her DNA. I analyzed a sample of it before at the cafeteria."**  
 _"You what?! How?"_  
 **"When you were eating, and throughout my _occasional_ observations of her and the surroundings. I have taken several samples of her DNA." **_"When did you have the time to do this? And why?"_

 **"Simple. My first observation of her was after I was first installed and I took stock of your team as a whole. I noted body types, threat level height, weight, weaponry, and disposition. I also took now of what limited internal date I could scan."**  
 _"Ok go on."_

 **"Then as time went on I got to take more and more out of Mika's DNA."**  
 _"Eyey that's kind of creepy."_  
 **"Maybe but listen to me, Ruby. _We_ need to know this. After _our_ injury at the deadlands. When the grenades went off in _our_ face. You remember that correct?"**  
 _"How could I forget? That was one of my worst injuries ever."_  
 **"I know. I coudl _fell_ your pain. Do you remember after that how we escaped into the main attack with Hino?"**  
 _"Yes."_  
 **"You remember when she _dragged_ us out of the mud?"**  
 _"She saved us."_  
 **"Indeed. When she did I ran a scan of _Krix's_ weaponry when we met her."**  
 _"And?"_  
 **"Well, I detected trace amounts of blood on her bayonet that after comparing to sample form I took and analyzed after eating I registered as belonging to Mika."**  
 _"And? She had Mika's blood on her halberd?"_  
 **"Yes. But that is not what's important. I have been researching humans in the Bastion scroll network. Interacting with the school's database while you slept."**  
 _"Is that legal?"_  
 **"No."**  
 _"Eyey!"_  
 **"Listen. After comparing several strands of data and working on a hypothesis I have found something rather _disturbing_ about Mika's DNA."**  
" _And that is?"_

Ruby asked as an inkling of fear ran up her spine as her eye whirled.  
 **"Mika is... well she is a _human..._**  
 _"Eyey! Don't scare me like that! We are all humans!"_  
 **"No, you don't understand. She is a _pure_ human."**  
The eye said as Ruby frowned.  
 _"What does that mean?"_  
 **"It means she is _only_ human. Nothing else is inside of her DNA from what I can tell."**  
 _"I don't get it."_  
 **"Put it like this. You are a human. But you are not a _pure_ human."**  
" _I'm not?"_  
 **"No of course not. Inside of your body, there is a _number_ of microorganisms and other things that are not native to humans originally and have been introduced to you form the outside world."**  
 _"Ok... So what does that mean for her?"_  
 **"When I scanned Mika's DNA I found _none_ of that."**  
 _"You found none of it?"_  
 **"Correct. In her saliva, sweat and blood ther are no traces! Of other microbial organisms."**  
 _"What does that mean?"_  
 **"It's like her body is _pure_ human. Almost artificial. Like someone has _made_ her."**  
 _"Artifical?"_  
 **"Yes. I know that sounds hard to believe but I think it is true. She fit's none of the general rules for human anatomy. Or should I say she fits them _perfectly."_**  
 _"She fits them perfectly?"_  
 **"Yes. From what I can tell she is a literal ideal human. Optimize to a razor's edge. Everything about her is optimal for life. Her height, eyes sight internal organ structure. It is like someone or something was tiring to build a better human, and they only knew what humans were from looking at a textbook. It's as if someone looked up what the _average_ human female should look like and created a cookie cutter image."**  
 _"Is that bad?_ "  
 **"Not exactly but it is _worrying."_**  
"How so?"  
 **"Ruby, you understand how genes work? How you tend to inherit half of your genes from one parent? I know that is a simplistic explanation but I do not have the time to explain it fully as of now so please bear with me."**  
 _"Yes, I know that. Why?"_  
 **"Well... when I scanned her DNA and compared it to others it appears to have ben.. _altered..._**  
 _"Altered?"_  
 **"Yes. Imagine if someone was trying to make human and wanted to make them perfect. She lacks the DNA to confirm that she was well... I don't think that Mika was born."**  
" _She wasn't born?"_  
Ruby _asked_ as-  
"Who wasn't born?"  
Mika replied as-  
"Sorry! Just talking to myself!"  
Ruby said as-  
 **"Calm down Ruby. Listen. She is _not_ a regular human. She is like someone or _something_ tried to _imitate_ human life perfectly and succeded but they didn't know some of the finer details. It's like she is what an ideal human should be. I don't know what she really is."** Her eyes said as Ruby looked at her friend and _frowned._

* * *

 _"Clear!"_  
Jaune yelled as he looked down the empty Atlas room as-  
 _FEWWOOHH!_  
 _"AHH!"_  
Screams fille the air as he Kage and Uzepi followed Adam's bloodbath. The three of them walking close behind the man as he cleared out the men and woman in front of him. As Adam fought no fighting implied some sort of challenge, he _butchered_ his way past the Atlas guards with contemptuous ease. Not caring or even really noticing them longer than it took him to kill them which was not long. The man moving in literal blurs of red to butcher, kill and flay. Any and every one who opposed him. As Adam killed Jaune and Kage worked in hand to clear out the doors and-  
 _"Breach!"_  
Kage yelled before kicking down a large white door and-  
 _BANG!_  
His rifle fired as he filled the air with an automatic gun burst as he shot at whoever was unfortunate enough to be inside the room.  
 _"Breach!"_  
Jaune yelled kicking down a sliver door as two Atlas soldiers out of uniform half dressed and _unarmed_ saw him.  
" _W-_  
 _BANG!_  
He fired without hesitation. His rifle kicked as he filled the room with hot lead. Rhe spoilers bodies _kicked!_ And _jerked!_ As the bullets tore them apart. Ripping them into blood confetti as the gun kicked in his hand.  
 _"Clear!"_  
Jaune yelled moving on without pause leaving the corpses behind him reloading his weapons the process was repeated over and over.  
Uzepi brought up the rear of the fire team. The leader and chaperone of the group was as good to her name as ever, not letting anyone get the jump on them. As she held her rifle up walking calmly backward securing their flanks as they _fought_ forward in a steady wedge formation with Adam at the front.  
As more sharp _peals_ form Adam and more _Clears!_ And subsequent _Bangs!_  
Filled the air the four of them soon fought their way to the outside of the base and into the rich cool night air of the exterior of the prison where the evac was waiting for hem "Stop right there-  
 _Bang!_  
The guard from earlier, the one who had originally greeted them was shot through the face as Uzpei sighed.  
"Should have taken that break! I told him you know?"  
"I heard," Jaune said tiredly as the four of them made their way back into the cool night air. As they did the roar of turbines greeted them nearly as soon as they stepped out as their own Bastion bullhead laned. Drop bay open to take them in as Uzepi smiled.  
 _"Get in! All of you!"_  
The pilot yelled in their scrolls, as Kirara's sharp feminine voice filled the air. "Home free boys! When we get back home drinks on me!"  
Uzepi said laughing raucously as Jaune sighed.  
"Is there even a bar in Bastion?"  
"Maybe! But I can still et us drinks!"  
"We can get intoxicated late. For now, let us be off.'  
Adam said as the four of them jumped into the open hatch and the craft took them into the warm night.

* * *

Ruby was _not_ in a trusting mood as she watched her so-called friend walk in the tunnels. They had split to go plant the jammer, as Ruby went to plant the device Mika was left at the intersection. If you would call the four-way tunnel split that made an easy ambush point where Ruby left her friend alone to guard the entry as she left for her own to plant the _jammer._  
"And there, we go!"  
Ruby said sighing in triumph as she planted the Bastion jammer. Making sure to activate the device per Uzepi's makeshift instructions as the jammer turned on. The small satchel grew and expanded as an odd box-like thing sprung up with a satellite dish sticking up that rotated slowly filling the air with a sharp _ping!_ As the device turned on.  
Ensuring that no Atlas interceptors would be chasing Jaune, Kage, and Uzepi on their eventual escape, as the reapers eye zoomed in on the device making sure that there was nothing wrong with it as-  
 **"Left!"**  
Ruby never hesitated.  
 _Crack!_  
Her rifle fired as the head of the Ursa exploded. The Grimm's head disintegrating into a cloud of black mist as she pulled her trigger. As her rifle fired filling the tight black as pitch corridor with yellow fire. As the Grim died almost instantly Ruby saw several more approaching her as she grimaced.  
 _Crack!_  
Her rifle fired again and again as she fired on the Grimm. Each shot of light sounding like a cannon blast in the tunnel's narrow interior as the usually sharp _cracks!_  
Of her gun went up tenfold as the walls of the sewer amplified her shots, as each weapon burst filled the air with fire along with illuminating the small tunnel as if there was a second sun. Showing off the old rusty metal, filled with rest and water damage alogn with the massive hulking black forms fulled of muscle, coarse dark fur like that of the night sky burning red eyes and row after row of _glistening_ razor sharp teeth.  
Jumping back as she planted quick shots into them.  
The seven Grimm that had assaulted her, charged her position. Thier massive muscles bounding towards her, as their eyes that burned like hot coals, filled the night as she pulled her gun up.  
 _Crack!_  
Her gun fired the sniper round hitting and pulping the Grimm's skulls into red mist. As the Grimm collapsed onto the sewer floor. The massive monsters falling like they were made of paper as her gun tore them apart.  
 **"They are dead. We need to evacuate before more come."**  
Her eye said as Ruby nodded. Tucking her gun and sprint out of the area. Using her semblance to cover the ground, blurring out in a wave of red as-  
 **"Halt!"**  
Her eye said as she _skidded!_ To a stop almost falling flat on her face as she saw it.  
In front of Ruby was Mika. The girl standing alone as a massive Beowulf came behind her. Sneaking up on the girl as Ruby raised her gun, aiming her rifle at its head as-  
Mika turned. The girl simply turned to face the Grimm with a calm almost lazy twist of her torso as the monster did something that Ruby never knew she would ever see. The Grimm froze. Ruby balked as she saw the monster of the night freeze in place as Mika turned her gaze to it. The girl held the monster's gaze as the massive creature of the night glared down at her before _cowering?_  
The monster whimpered like a frightened dog, it's long tail going between its legs as its whole body _shook_ like someone had put a live wire in it as Mika glared _evenly_ at as the monster took a step back. Walking away from the girl as-  
 _FIT!_  
Ruby fought the urge to scream as the girl simply reached back her bare fist and _punched!_ The monster in the chest. Her fist punching _cleanly_ into the things chest, tearing past fur, skin, muscle bone and sinew link it was made of paper mache, spearing and yanking!  
Out it's still beating heart. Holding the monsters pulsing red organ in her thing pale hands before squeezing it making it _pop_! In her palm as the Grimm collapsed dead on the spot as Mika grinned at it as Ruby _shook._

* * *

 _"Get on!"_  
Uzepi yelled as the bullhead touched down by the sewer system that she dropped of Ruby and Mika at. The wide floodlights of the craft illuminating the area as the thrusters blew up mountains of air, bog water, and other small amphibians none too happy about their homes being disturbed or them being tossed into the air as the craft neared the surface of the pickup ramp down.  
As the two girls leaped on the craft. As the girls jumped on the teacher instantly knew something was _wrong._  
Mika was her usual apathetic cherry serial killer self, but Ruby?  
Ruby was _shaken._ Her _eye_ jumped back and forth, bouncing to an for as her mechanical one glared at Mika as-  
 _"Ruby!"_  
Jaune said hugging the girl making her blush brightly as she wrapped her arms around her crush. As he rubbed her head.  
"I'm so glad that you are safe."  
He said honestly as her cheeks became the color of her cloak. As the reaper returned the hug-  
"Kage! I _~Missed~_ you!" Mika said opening her arms ready to receive a wide hug as-  
 _"Right."_  
Kage said walking right past his partner, ignored her wide hug as she fumed.  
"That was _MEAN!"_  
"Mean?"  
"Yeah! Your partner was just gone alone and you act like I was just going to get better! I was in _danger!"_  
Mika _pouted_ as Kage raised a lone eyebrow at her.

 _"You_ _were in danger?"_  
Jaune asked Ruby his eyes hard and-  
"Not really-  
 _"You?_ In danger? Right, I'd be more worried about the Grimm than you."

"That's mean!"  
"No, it is not."  
"Yes, it is! You can at least act! Like you are worried about me!"  
"Why would I? You can handle yourself, you are one of the best fighters that I know and I have full faith that you will come home alive.' Kage said simply sitting down on his bull head seat as-  
"Well... if you put it like that I _guess!_ I can forgive you and-  
"We can talk about this later. Until we get home can we all rest?" Adam asked as-  
"Who are you?" Ruby asked the tall man as he sighed.  
"My name _human_ is Adam Taurus. You may call me Adam. I am your new teacher at Bastion." The man said as he eyed his potential student with a grimaced, wondering why such a young child was here in Bastion of all places. And why she had a mechanical eye alogn with what looked like, if Adam was to guess right _extensive_ cybernetic augmentations.

"What do you teach?"  
Rub asked as the man smiled? It was an odd almost forced action as-  
" You will see soon enough. Until then? I suggest that we all get some rest. It has been a long day and I for one look forward to a rest." Adam said as he sat back down in his seat as the bullhead roared into the night.

* * *

 _"Adam!_ So glad that you could finally come!"  
Ludo said his silver eyes wide in happiness glistening in the _off_ firelight of his office as Adam nodded.  
 _"Ludo._ You said you had need of me and I came. What am I to do?"  
Adam asked the headmaster of Bastion as he stood in his office. With all of the team ARKM behind him as the man smiled at the master terrorist.  
"Simple! You will do the job that I have hired you for! You are to fulfill the contractual obligations that we have discussed before."  
"Fine. I will take my post. Call me when I am needed." Adam said as-  
 _"Uzepi."_  
"Yes, sir!"  
"Take Adam to his class. Make sure he knows where he is, show him the teachers lounge and where he will be sleeping. In _fact!_ Give him the _full_ Basidton tour! Show him _all_ the bells and whistles why don't you?"  
"Sir _yes_ , sir!"  
Uzepi said as she began to lead Adam out of the headmaster's office and-  
"Now! Onto you! Team _ARMK_ I am impressed! All of you have done incredibly well! Not only are you are most potential first years you also! have given Bastion one of it's most _prodigious_ teachers yet!"  
"It was our pleasure sir."  
Jaune said now back in _full_ Death Korps regalia. His silver outfit tossed off in favor of his now traditional bronze armor plate, that sat above his skin-tight black carapace armor as the man nodded.  
" _Good_! Now I know that you are all tired and I _know!_ That you all want to go to bed but! Since I am quite pleased with all of you I think it is time for a _reward!"_  
"Reward sir?'  
"Yes! Since you have done so much for the school I will not give you an appropriate reward! How does _thirty thousand_ lien sound?"  
"Thirty thousand sir!? What would we ever use that for!?'  
 _"Simple_ Jaune! You would spend that money in the Bastion _store!_ Where else will you spend it? Kage will show you the way, after all, you are _quite_ well know in that part of the school right Venke?"  
"Sir... yes?"  
 _"Good lad!_ Now all of you dismissed! Go get some lunch you _earned_ it."

* * *

Well as hungry as Jaune as he was the only member of his team at the lunch table. Ruby, Kage, and Mika had turned in all taking a nap. Not that Jaune could blame them.  
Ludo had said that they would be on yet _another_ mission tomorrow. Not giving them a minute! Of real rest as apparently a small town that was Bastion _sympatheti_ c had gone _dark_ over the past two weeks.  
Ludo wanted them to go check it out. If there was something wrong they where to fix it. If not then they could come back. Even now Jaune felt the hairs on his back stand on end as he shuddered as a cold hand ran down his spine.  
Exactly _what_ was wrong with the town was unknown. All Ludo had said was that the town went dark one night and-  
"Can I sit here?'  
A feminine voice said as Jaune nodded.  
"Sure why not?"  
Jaune asked as-  
 _"Krix?'_  
Jaune asked as his fellow team leader and _semi-friend?_ Sat down next to him. The girl's long pink hair flowing down past the bench's seat. As her bright pink eyes locked onto him.  
"It's been a long time Jaune. How are you?"  
The fellow leader and Death Korps member said putting her strange assault rifle halberd on the table as Jaune nodded.  
"Good. You?'  
"Good. _Tired,_ but _that_ is all the same. Leadership is not easy you know?"  
"Trust me I know."  
Jaune said as his fellow leader smiled at him.  
"Good to hear. I heard that you came back from a mission recently. How did that go?"  
"Good! Good! We all made it out and-  
 _"Maybe her?"_  
Jaune thought as the piece of paper burn a hole in his pocket. As the words, _Mercer, Blacklight_ , and _Childs_ filled his head as he thought maybe Krix could shed some light on the Mika situation.  
"Krix you know Mika right?"  
"How could I _not?'_  
"Well, what do you think of her?"  
"She's a _pox."_  
"A _Pox?_ "  
"Yes, a _pox._ She is a _virus,_ a _blight_ on our world and the sooner that she is taken care of the better."  
Krix said bitterly as-  
"Krix. What do you know about Mika?" Jaune askes seriously as she scoffed.  
"Hah! You mean that? Well besides the fact that she is a _psychopath?"_  
"She's not that bad-  
"Jaune. She _wears_ her fellow students as clothes. How is she simply _not that bad?"_  
"Ok, so she's just a bit _unique!"_  
"Really? _Unique?_ Is that how you want to say, a serial killer? She is just one step away from _it puts the lotion on its skin_ you know?"

"She's not that bad."  
"She. Wears. People! As. Clothes. How is she anything less that terrible?"  
"She is my teammate and friend. As long as she does not compromise team stability she is fine with me."  
"I'm not saying that she is not fine. I'm just saying that she is a powder keg waiting to go off. Listen to me on this Jaune. Eventually, you will regret knowing Mika. She will _drink, you dry."_  
Krix said honestly as Jaune paled. Not knowing what the hell she meant by that and-  
"What does that mean?"  
"I hope you _never_ find out."  
Krix said as she began to eat her pieces of ham in front ther her. Taking the occasional time to let Venke know that she was alive as she ate the downright murderous grom Jaune as the two ate her meal in relative peace.

* * *

Sleep did _not_ find Jaune that night. Not that it ever found him easily. Once again his dreams were plagued with pain. Fire. Blood and worst of all failure, and not even holding tight to Ruby seemed to help him with this level of anxiety. As he woke up the next morning, tire groggy and ready to die.  
It was a regular morning as far as he coudl tell. Mika was flirting with Kage.  
Trying to get the boy to some more emotions that a doorknob as he steadily ignored her. Either by design or sheer, not taking heed of any of her flirting as he readied himself for their day. Ruby painfully. Tore herself away from him. Removing her pert thin ass from his crotch as she got up to start her morning routine as Jaune swore!  
He saw her eye glaring at Mika. As Ruby went to shower, Miks used their forge. To work on her Ax. Grinning it as Kage went about cleaning his guns.  
Soon thier next mission would begin and-  
THUD! THUD! THUD!  
A loud knocking came to thier door, as Jaune went to open it.  
Surprises that someone knocked at thier door., instead of blowing it down.  
Although Sonya had been good as her word to stop the raids, as they were so whoever was knocking was either nonhostile or Sonya was goign against her word and that seemed a dubious proposition at best. As he unlocked to show a pair of ted yes, along with twin bull horns staring down at him.

"Arc.'  
"Adam?"  
"That is me." The man said as Jaune balked.  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Simple. As a new teacher here I can ask for a team to join my class on the first day of my teaching and I pick yous."  
"Join? What class do you even teach?'  
"I teach _Gym."_  
Adam said with a feral smile as Jaune gulped.

* * *

 **An: There it is! Another day another chapter of Bastion! Adam's free! The crew is alive and somehow _miraculously_ unharmed. How long that will last I don't know! Maybe a chapter? Maybe two? Maybe the crew will _never_ suffer _another_ life threating injury again!?**

 **Ok, that's _not_ gonna happen... But! We all made it! The next chapter is set up! We saw _Krix_ again after forever. I bet most of you forgot she even existed. I know I did... Well! That' a bout it! Jaune saved a tacher. Ruby's eye is taking the rights to privacy a _bit_ fast and loose. And Jaune get's to go to the store! But _not_! Befre they investiage the _town_ and see just what cause a _complete_ communications black out...**

 **Any way! This chapters done on to _Game on!_ And the _Breach!_ So untill next time? Thansk for reading.**

 **PS. I have a new story called _Branwen_ if you haven't ****read it check it out.**

 **PSS. _What_ Mika is, is actully pretty _obvious_ and we will see a _major_ hint in the next part.  
PSS. I did it! I finished _Bastion!_ Well not yet but! I got the major plot outlined! I know how all the _pillars_ will end and it's going to be _fun!_**

 **PSSS. For _any_ of you who are wondering yes Game on and Bastion are _linked._ But! It is important ot knwo that while the univers happen _simutaneously_ Bastion's world is two years _ahead_ of Game on time wise. The Bastion universe is _slightly_ older then Game on's. As in Game on in its universe is happening two years _after_ the Bastion is finished. By the time Game on started Bastion is _long_ finished its tale...Just food for thought...**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant_ part eighteen. _Reunion._**  
Jaune was moving without being told.  
 _"Run!"_  
Jaune yelled at the top of his lungs as the disastrous! Action by Sieena had just alerted whole damn nest of Gene stealer Grimm to their position. As the commissar sprinted like the ceiling was about to collapse and he almost prayed that it did. Giving him time to get the hell out of there. As the faunus woman ran after him.  
"Commissar _wait!"_  
 _"Fat chance!"_  
Jaune thought pumping his arms and legs at nearly double their normal rate. Moving with all the speed he coudl mustered as he ran through the tunnels, the faunus woman caught up with him soon enough. Her natural strength and agility coming itno the foray of the situation as she and Jaune ran forward.  
As the two ran Jaune could hear them! The tell-tale click! Click! Of talons on stell filled the air as the gene stealers gained on their positions. This was bad, very, very bad. Jaune knew he had to fight, that he had to kill them or t least slow them down.  
The gene stealers would overtake them soon enough. Making it damn near impossible to outrun them. As Jaune chanced a look behind him and regretted it immediately.  
There where _dozens_ of them, the enter back passage was filled with beady yellow eyes as he saw a myriad of glaring yellow eyes, _Clicking!_ Jaws filled with line after line of razor shape teeth and tongues almost the length of his forearm.  
As the two ran the enemy getting closer and loser with every click!  
Of ther multi-pronged talons Jaune saw their chance and he knew what he had to do.  
"Sieena! This way!"  
Jaune yelled baking right as Sieena followed him, like a cat almost. Her ability far outmatching his despite his training as they ran down a narrow drainage pipe.  
Jaune heard the Grimm slammed into the pipe from behind as they ran.  
"Don't stop!"  
Jaune yelled as he reached into his greatcoat searching for a moment before finding the object of his sears.  
"Fire in the hole!"  
He yelled as he loosed a frag grenade at the enemy already regretting the action as the dull muffled _wump crack! BANG!_  
Of the weapon going off along with a chorus of inhuman screams and screeches filled the air. As the grenade tore into the unarmored chitin of their enemy as-  
 _BANG!_  
Jaune and sinew hit a sewer wall to distracted by the grenade going off as the hit the wall of the tunnel full on and it cracked!  
The wall gave in allowing them to fall into another wide open room as-  
 _"Fire"!_  
Sieena yells as the surviving Girm were on them.  
The next few second of Jaunes life where a whirlwind of battle, blood, death, and adrenaline.  
As the Grimm descended on them he didn't, he wouldn't hesitate.  
 _Crocea Mors_ roared to life as he flashed it out striking into the side of one Grimm. Sawing it in half making the monster scream.  
As he loosed a lucky laspistol shot at another one of them.  
Blowing it's open jaw wide off as-  
 _"Commissar!?"_  
A familiar voie yelled at his left as Jaune ignored it for the fight at hand.  
The Grimm now lessened by the grenade hit them like a tidal wave of claw, fang, and rage.  
Thier multi-armed limbs flaring out only to be severed by his chain swore, or burned by a las shot.  
Or to be almost obliterated by Sieena's strange pulse rifle. As the two of them butchered the Grimm in a whirlwind of blood and death. As soon as it began it was over as they stood victorious-  
 _"Commissar!"_  
"Ren?"  
Jaune asked as he and Sieena turned to see the shocked faces of thier allies as they were reunited with their groups.


	35. Pillar one The town

**AN: Here we go! More Bastion! In this chapter we have the begining of the _town_ arc! Where shit goes _very_ wrong. I try my hand at _horror_ and we get a CLEAR hint as to what Mika really _is_...**

* * *

"What do _you_ want?"  
Jaune asked in a confused to tone as A _dam? Sto_ od in front of him. The recently escaped faunus _prisoner_ now turned school teacher? Grinned his strange Grimm mask still planted over his face.  
"It's time for _class."_

The faunus man said as Jaune grimaced.

"Class? We don't have class today."  
Ruby added popping up behind Jaune as the young girl's mechanical eye whirred up at Adam, its _baleful_ red light blinked spuriously at him.  
"That was before now. For today you will have one class with me before you go on to your mission. Ludo has already agreed to this so get ready."  
"What class?"  
Ruby asked as Adam smiled.  
"You have _gym."_

* * *

"I _love_ our new gym teacher!"  
Mika said happily as she sat at the cafeteria table, her once straight long silver hair now frayed and _burned_. Serval scorch marks plastered her usual thick furs as they were now singed and burned _black_ as a series of bruises, smudges, and literal _fire_ crept up around it as team ARKM ate their breakfast.  
"I _never_ want to pick up another ball a day in my life."  
Kage said irritably into his usual meal of thinly sliced and fried tubers. His one short, unruly curly mop of pitch black hair now long and almost ramrod straight. Fizzled out and occasionally pulsed with electricity. As his body shook like a live wire went through it.

"Jaune... I can't feel my _legs..."_  
Ruby complained her fake eye rapidly extending and retracting into her skull as she coughed up clouds of black smoke onto her plate of cookies as Jaune nodded. Like always it was _hard_ for Jaune to look at Ruby. The girl had lost so much in the month since they were _forced_ to come to this nightmare of a school. Her thin frame sat hunched over her typical breakfast of cookies and milk. Her precious baby _Crescent Rose_ in her lap. And the all in one combination of _a sniper rifle, shotgun, and Uzi_ affectionately called a _Shoozi_ sat tucked to her hip.

As she ate her cookies Jaune _winced_ as he saw her fake eye shoot out of her head, the long cylindrical object scanning her cookies for some unknown purposes as it glowed red. The eye as _obtrusive_ as it was, was _not_ the worst loss for the girl. _Most_ of Ruby's body was gone. Even if you couldn't outwardly see it fully _half_ of her internal parts had been replaced with _cybernetics_. She was more metal than human and it showed. Besides her fake right eye her right arm even though it was sheathed still had its _sword_ tucked away in her bone. And even though she had not used her sword _yet_ Jaune had a feeling it was only a matter of time until it too drew blood.  
"We won't do that _ever_ again."

Jaune gagged spitting up a tar-like dust from his mouth as he groaned. _Adam_ the teacher that they had just rescued had been put in charge of the Bastions physical education section. In other words, he was in charge of Gym and Adam had a very unique take on physical education. Mainly he liked to do a sport called pain ball.  
Basically, think dodgeball bu _t infinitely!_ Worse, the game was similar, in concept pick up balls throw them at the other team but the balls were not regular rubber but charged with a _rare_ type of dust. That when impacting on a body would cause the body to experience the absolute _maximum_ amount of pain that it could physically cope with _without_ losing consciousness.

An experience that made Jaune Ruby and Kage scream at the top of their lungs. As the felt the sing most drawn-out excruciating pain of their lives again and again. Before they eventually beat the team they were laying against as all three of them left the Bastion Gym which was surprisingly much like a regular Gym but just in Baston and with Adam as their teacher as three out of ARKM where exposed to the worst pain of their lives the other member had a very _different_ experience.

As Mika simply swung on her seat positively beaming with happiness as she grinned widely the odd girl had _loved_ the game. Mainly because A she could _not_ feel pain in any physical form. And B! If she was exposed to pain she would convert pain to _pleasure_ , as the girl had one of the most orgasmic experiences of her life. As she could barely keep the loopy smile off of her face.

As she had according to her gone through _three_ set's of panties since the game started. And she had earned the win mainly because she often blocked every ball heading for their team. Her body exploding in bright baleful green energy as she screamed in orgasmic bliss. As even if she _was_ now sitting pantyless in the cafeteria Jaune could spare her exposed waist no spare thoughts because _A_. He was going to follow his teammates Kage's policy on Mika mainly the whole don't stick your dick in crazy aspect. As Kage _steadily_ ignore the fur covered girls lecherous advance as team Arkm had a typical breakfast in _Bastion._

Jaune rubbed his head as he looked at his _singed_ eyebrows as his scarred pale face looked back up at him, his sunken once rich now _dull_ and sharp like a razor's edge cerulean eyes staring back in his silver Bastion breakfast tray. It was almost time for team ARKM to go on thier _next_ mission. Hopefully, this one would be an easy one. According to Ludo, they had to investigate a _village?_ Of some sorts, Ludo said that something was wrong with the town and they needed somebody to check it out. Whatever the hell that meant.

" _As long as Ruby makes it out alive. That's what matters."_  
Jaune reason digging back into his breakfast as he sighed.  
 _'Boss,_ you know when Ludo want's us?"

Kage asked finally gaining enough control of his motor skills to form questions and not statements and curses as he fought to control his shaking brown limbs. His long muscular milk chocolate colored arms were still shaking with raw energy as he gritted his teeth.  
"No idea, but I know he want's us soon. We can go _after_ breakfast."

Jaune said having _no_ incentive to go see that damn monster sooner than he had to as he went back into his meal, digging back inot a pile of buttered toast as Kage nodded. His usually dull brown eye now flickering with pain as she ate another _tubber_ slice.  
"Fine so I don't have time for a shower?"

Kage asked hopefully no doubt wanting to get rid of the excess sweat and dust.  
"Not today, we can take a shower at the mission. We are going to a town that is supposedly friendly to us, so I'm assuming they will have a shower."

"I hope so. I need something to wash off this dust."  
"Oh don't complain Kage! I loved Gym! Let's go again! J _aune_! Can we go again? _Please!"_  
 _"NO!"_

Kage and Ruby both shouted at once as Mika back up a slight frown on her face,  
"But it was fun!"

"No. No, it was _not."_ Jaune said firmly as Mika grimaced.  
"Well, _I_ had fun!"  
"That _definitely_ means we won't go back."  
Kage grumbeled as Mika gave an affrotned gasp.

"How dare you! Jaune! Kage is being mean to me!"  
"Kage don't be mean."  
Jaune said too tired to argue with Mika as Kage glared at him.  
"Don't blame _me._ I'm not the one who enjoyed having her body rocked by those damned balls of Adams."

"So you _don't_ like getting hit by some guy's balls? Well, that's a bet I _lost."_

"Shut up Zach."  
Jaune said almost on instinct as the thin pale boy plopped down next to him. His thick black hair smoothed out as he smirked.  
"Ey what' s the matter, my _virgin_ friend? You mad Mika took all the balls to the face for you?"

Zach asked digging into his plate of Bacon and sausage as Jaune sighed.

"Why must you keep bringing up the fact that I'm a virgin?"  
Jaune asked as he looked at his friend? If you could call Zach a friend and Jaune begrudgingly did. Zach was an _ass_ probably the _biggest_ as Jaune knew but he was a friend, he saved Ruby's life in the badlands, and he owed him for that.  
"I-  
 _"Please_ ignore my _dick_ of a partner. He is mad that his latest attempt at flirting left him flat on his face with a _knife_ in his liver.'  
Hino said calmly sitting down next to her partner who was glaring daggers at her as she greeted Kage and Mika who nodded before-

"Hino! The _light_ passes you!"

Ruby said animatedly bowing to her tall bronze skinned friend. As Hino smiled warmly her rich creamy brown eyes the same color of her skin shining as she nodded to Ruby.  
"And _also_ with you."  
"It _lite_ my way on the last mission."  
"And it will _illuminate_ your path from this day on."  
"So say's the _prophet."_

Hino, Ruby, _and_ Kage all said at once as Jaune glared. He did _not_ know what to think of Ruby's sudden take to religion. He did not know much about the light despite being its prophet. Or the faunus thought he was thier prophet and Jaune knew the first rule of dealing with religious fanatics. When someone asks if you are a god, you say yes. _Every. Single. Time_.

Even if they did not _seem_ unfriendly, Jaune did not know how long thier hero worship of him would last. And what a god was supposed to do...  
"Boss. We should get going. Ludo doesn't like to be kept waiting."  
"Got it. ARKM let's go."  
Jaune said sighing heavily scarfing down what was left of his toast as their team bid goodbye to Zach who was bickering Hino about calling him out. As she blamed him for calling her a _broad_ as they left the two partners, Jaunes hand went to the piece of paper in his pocket as she gulped.  
"Kage. Mika, Ruby. Go up to Ludo before me. I have to ask someone a question."

Jaune said backing off from his team as they pause as Kage raise a suspicious eyebrow as Ruby's prosthetic eye popped out of her skull. As it _whirred_ up to him.  
" _Who?"_

Ruby asked looking forward as Jaune looked away from her fake eye that seemed to look into his mind.  
"I have to talk with another leader..."  
 _"Krix?"_  
"Yeah! _Krix_ I'll be with you guys soon so don't wait up ok?"  
Jaune aksed as his team nodded as they left him alone as Jaune grimaced. He needed to find his _chaperone_ and ask her some questions...

* * *

"Well now, _this_ is new."  
A familiar cocky voice said as Jaune felt his hackles flare as he glared up.  
 _"Uzepi."_  
Jaune said in a stony voice as he looked up to his chaperone who he had managed to call for a private meeting in a seldom used Bastion hallway as Uzepi nodded to him.

"Tell me what does my _favorite_ leader, and the sole blonde in my life want from me? Surely, not just ther to appreciate the view? Though I _wont_ fault you if you are. It _is_ a nice one."  
Uzepi said smugly showing off her curvy form that even trapped in her light grey-brown flak armor was still tractive with an almost hourglass waist and a large chest as Jaune shook her off.  
"No. I need your help."  
"My help? What could _I_ help you with?"

"I need answers."

"Answers? What makes you think _I_ have them?"  
Uzepi asked a thin smile on her face as her pale skin seemed to glow in the fain torchlit hallway as Jaune reached into his pocket.

"I need to know everything I can about three words."

"Oh? And what would those three words be?"  
Uzepi asked as Jaune held out the piece of paper Hino had given him as Uzpi's smirk faded.  
 _"Blacklight. Mercer. Childs_. Interesting. Where did you hear about these words my _inquisitive_ little friend?"

"Doesn't matter. I just you to tell me everything you know about them."  
"And why would I do that?"

"Becuase you are my _chaperone_ and these answers are key to my team's success. And that means they are key to _your_ success."

Jaune said glaring up to Uzepi as she nodded once to him.

 _"Interesting..._ You are looking into things that you should _not_ be looking at my little _friend."_

Uzepi said scratching her chin as Jaune nodded.  
"What do you know about them? I've looked up all I could on my scroll. Even _with_ my own leadership credentials, I can't find much. I need _your_ clearance."  
"What makes you think _I_ have it?"

Uzepi asked flashing Jaune a knowing wink as he held his ground to the woman who had over a _clear_ foot on his six-one frame.  
"Becuase I first read about something like it on your scroll on the way to the city. _That's_ why."  
"Why do you want to know anything?"

"I... it's for my team. Will, you help me or not?"

"Sure. Why not?"  
"That quick?"  
"Hey what can I say? I _like_ you blondie; you got a nice cut to your _gib!"_  
"People keep telling me that. What does that even mean?"  
"You'll figure it out, here let me see your scroll."

The woman said taking his scroll and typing something into as she grinned.  
 _"Activate Bastion clearance. Name Uzepi. Class Instructor Chaperone. Give clearance."_  
Uzepi said as she handed Jaune back his scroll.  
"There you go blondie look up those words to your heart's content! But _don't_ be shocked if you don't get a good night sleep after you _peek_ behind the vale."  
"What the hell am I going to see?"  
"Something that should be kept buried and _burned.'_

Uzepi said before waving good by leaving Jaune alone as he sighed. Looking at his search bar as he typed in the first word.  
 _Blacklight._  
Jaune typed as the scrolls show a whirring search icon as-  
 ** _Blacklight_. Codename. Description.**

 **A biological weapon developed an unknown time ago. Description.**

 **A highly infectious virus that spreads rapidly and if left unchecked will have _disastrous_ results. The virus enters and repurposes and changes cells of host organisms. Mutating and evolving them into entirely new cells. The newly infected cells will then replicates with formerly dormant non-encoding regions active, causing drastic biological changes.**  
 **After infection, the virus "plugs in" and activates the _'junk'_ DNA in its victim, resulting in several biological changes that create (and recreate) sentience within the infected creature's cellular makeup. It acts by affecting the protein-encoding regions of the promoter introns in each cell. As a retrovirus, it contains both RNA and the reverse transcriptase enzyme, allowing it to insert its own genetic codes into the host's cells. It enters, re-purposes and changes the cell, replicating previously dormant non-coding segments of the organism's DNA.**

 **More often than not, these changes are _too_ drastic, and _99.99%_ of _all_ infected organisms die from massive organ failure and cell saturation. However, few variants have yielded other beneficial results, endowing the infected organisms with _incredible_ superhuman genetic prowess that _significantly_ increase their natural abilities to levels far exceeding human capability; these variants include DX-1120 and DX-1118 C.**  
 **Warning. This virus is _HIGHLY_ contagious. And can spread through physical contact. Air born exposure. Bodily fluids, corruption, and direct injection.**  
 **Note the virus _cannot_ travel through large bodies of water and if exposed on an island like environment containment is simpler. Note.**  
 **Black Light is infamous for changing the environment it infects, creating large growths of biomass to alter the world around it. Also, the virus is EXTREMELY susceptible to fire and fire is the preferred way to deal with infected individuals.**

 **Note. Infected. If infected with the virus humans will change dramatically, suffer severe physical mutations and boemc incredibly hotel of all nonother infected. They will seek to spread the virus those methods listed above as the virus uses its gains sentience that appears to grow with the number of infected**.  
 _"The hell? A sentient Virus?"_  
Jaune thought as he looked into a _sentient_ virus before typing the next name.  
 _Mercer._  
 ** _Unkown_. An individual who was said to come into contact with Blacklight and merge with it. Making him if stories are out believed the only human to form symbiotic relationships with the virus. Note. If files on _Mercer_ are to believed it _is_ possible for a human to for a _successful symbiotic_ relationship with the virus. No matter _how_ unlikely this may be. Such individuals may or may _not_ act like a virus and for all intents and purposes appear as a _normal_ human. **

"Well, _that_ was short."  
Jaune said as he flicked to the other screen.  
 _Mc. Creedy_.  
 **Bastion team leader. Current fourth year in charge of the _Blackwatch_ division of the _Piercing Lancers_ Bastion faction.**  
 _"That's_ the faction I want."  
Jaune said as he read on.

 **Mc. Creedy is the only survivor of his team after the incident-**  
 ** _NAME REDACTED_ when the _NAME REDACTED_ occurred.**  
 **The incident was heralded by a meteor falling and the spread of-**  
 ** _NAME REDACTED_. When _NAME REDACTED_ first comes into contact with living organism it attempts to assimilate and subsume them rapidly. It is highly aggressive and nigh invulnerable to conventional means but has a marked weakness to fire.**  
 **Simmilatres between _NAME REDACTED_ and Blacklight espically when how they both aggressively seek to assimilate and subsume living cells of their hosts. And how both of them are vulnerable to extreme heat.**

 **Although it should be noted that _NAME REDACTED_ has _several_ fundamental differences between it and Blacklight.**  
 **For one _NAME REDACTED_ cannot become _truly_ sentient. It can only _mimic_ the sentience of the hosts it infects. No records of _NAME REDACTED_ having a genuine intelligence of its own have been reported. **

**It is _very_ vulnerable to fire, but also might be susceptible to _acid, plasma weaponry,_ and potential _electric charge_ s. But that is untested and is only a hypothesis. It should be known that _NAME REDACTED_ does not seek to change the actual environment as Blacklight does. And besides the _rapid_ assimilation of organic matter, the two are very different. Important note. Mc. Creedy destroyed all know instances of _NAME REDACTED_ in the _NAME REDACTED_ incident. He is currently enlisted with the Piercing lancers and is on track to graduate Bastion later on this year**.

 _"How does any of this help me!? Everyone calls her a virus, a plague a pox! Kage and Zach say she's immortal and Zach arms me to be wary of her? Is she a virus?_ "  
Jaune thought before shaking his head.  
For one Mika was _clearly_ sentient. She had her own goals ambitions and even _affection,_ plus she never seemed to want to _assimilate_ anyone. I mean she liked to _cook_ people alive in the ring. And she would on _occasion_ turn the random Bastion faunus into her _outfit._ So sure was a bit _odd,_ but she seemed reasonable enough for Bastion.  
And two her weapon was a _flamethrower!_ A virus that was scared of fire would _never_ use that as a weapon! That would be like walking around with a _bomb_ strapped to her chest! It made _no_ sense! She would _never_ do it!  
 _"Unless it's a cover-up."_  
A voice in Jaune head said as he gritted his teeth.  
 _"It would be a good cover but no."_  
Jaune thoguht smiling as he saw a note on _Blacklight_. Apparently, _ALL_ cases of Black and _Name redacted_ where purged sometime ago, and none were left alive.  
" _So she's not a virus, she's human. Just like me Ruby and Kage."_  
Jaune thought smiling as he left the hallway and went to see Ludo.

* * *

 _"Ahh!_ Miste _r Arc_ so good to see you! _Come in! Come in!"_  
Ludo said as Jaune walked into the Baston's headmasters office to see his team waiting for him in the dim office light of the _off_ fireplace as the headmaster as Ludo nodded.  
"Sir, sorry I'm late I had to-"  
"A meeting with Miss _Krix?_ Say no more! Say no more! I was a young man once! I know the importance of camaraderie with our friends! Now onto your mission!"  
The man said as Jaune walked next to Kage still dressed in his thin black impromptu armor as _Felica_ was currently busy designing a brand new set of plate mail for the boy. The _tech-priest_ would soon get the armor back to him as well as for the others if she was to believed. And Jaune _believed_.

"For this mission, your goal is _quite_ simple. You will be going to a rather secluded town of _Still Water_. It is town far off into the wilds approximately one hundred miles from the nearest settlement."  
 _"Why_ are we going?"  
Jaune asked as Ludo grinned.

 _"Simple!_ The town is in a peaceful relationship with us. They help Bastion and Bastion help them." "How do they help us?"  
Jaune asked as Ludo raise a thin eyebrow at him as his cold grey eyes glistened in the firelight as he flashed Jaune an ethereal smile.  
"The town acts as a weapons testing range. We employ and discharge a number of strange exotic weapons around it. They let us utilize thier environment, and we provide security for the town."  
"So they act as a testing zone? Did a weapon get out of hand?"  
Jaune asked a wave of fear and the thought of something the Mechanicus mad going haywire or another levitation from the city appearing.  
"Oh, nothing of the sort! The weapon we designed is perfectly fine!"

"What weapon are we testing?"

"A _weather control device._ It keeps the temperature ten miles outside of the town at a nice _negative one fifty."_  
Miss Heil said a frim disinterested look in her _blood_ red eyes as she glared at her scroll as Jaune nodded.  
"So the town's frozen?"

"Not at all Mister Arc. The town is at a comfortable _seventy-eight degrees_. It's at a perfect temperature for human settlements. That's the point. The weapon is designed to manipulate temperatures to varying extremes in close proximity to one another."

"Ok... So why are _we_ going? If the weapon is in perfect order why do we need to go? Is there another type of weapon that's got out of control?"  
Jaune asked not seeing why they would go to a town where nothing was wrong.  
"Well, you see Mister Arc _that's_ the problem. The town has gone dark as of late."  
"Gone dark?"  
"Yes. The town has gone dark. For the past two weeks, we have received _no_ communications from the settlement, and we are starting to get worried. We need you to go and check it out. See what's wrong if you will."

"Seems simple enough, what is the environment around the town?"

 _"Idea_ l Mister Arc. Outside of the town for a solid ten-mile area ther is nothing lush plant life in a forest fully cleared of Grimm."  
Miss Heil said looking into her scroll as Jaune smiled at the good news. "So there is no Grimm?"

 _"None_. No Grimm exist in the area and the forest is filled with _lush_ life and noncarnivorous placid animals. There is nothing to fear."  
Miss Heil said with an odd smile as Jaune sighed.

"So why are you sending _us_ then?"  
"Simple. We do not know what coudl make the town go dark, they have a contingent of Mechanicus, so medicinal failure is unlikely, and if something has happened we need you to go because-"  
"We are the _best,_ but we are also _expendable."_  
Jaune said as Ludo smiled.

"I see _someone_ is paying attention."  
 _"Expendable?_ I thought we are the best?"

Ruby asked a worried tone in her voice as her eye shot _out_ of her head and zoomed in on Ludo inquisitively.  
"We are the best _first_ years. This is as school just like Beacon. There are not just first but there up to _fourth_ years here as well. We are the best of the rookies. I'm assuming even the wors of the second years would scrape the floor with us right?"

"They would be wiping you off the ceiling for _months."_  
Miss Heil said without a hint of irony as Jaune nodded.

"We are the most valued of the _throwaways_. We have potential but! If we do well, we eventually won't finish Bastion as we are going back to Beacon. As such we are not a long-term investment for Ludo. We might be elites, but we are _throw away_ elites at that."  
"Good boy! You _understand."_  
The man said as he grinned.  
"Yes, you are all! The best an of the best of my first years but! Since half of you will not be returning to Beacon, you are not how I say... A _long-term plan._ I will use as I see fit and if you die?"  
"No big loss to Bastion right?"  
Jaune asked shrugging his shoulder his bronze chest plate raising as his _slick_ black carapace armor lifted up with his arms as Ludo _grinned_.

" _Precisely!"_

"Fine. When do we leave?"  
"Oh! Not all of you are going! Only _half_ of ARKM is assigned to this mission."  
 _"Sir?"_  
"Jaune you will take Kage and two! Other students nor form your team of your choosing to accompanies you."  
 _"But sir!"_  
"Now miss Rose don't' be sad! I have a _personal_ assignment for you and miss Smith. You two will have your own goals while the boys are _out."_

"Sir. We are a _team._ We work best as a team."  
"I know that is also why you are being split up. You are an _expendable_ team, but I will not waste your talents. If something goes wrong, I won't have the whole team die."  
"If we are all together, we can work together, and things might not go wrong in the first place."

"Maybe. But _I_ need Miss Rose, and Smith for this. Now pick you two supports and get ready! I need this resolved and won't feel too bad! You will be back in two days time, so rest assured. You will see each other soon enough. _If_ you live assuming."  
The man said leering at Jaune with a glare that chilled his soul.

"Sir... is ther anything you can tell us about the town before we leave? Anything strange or odd that coudl cause a blackout?"

"Well... At first no but now that I think about it. Approximately two weeks before the town went dark the _Mechanicus_ reported a _meteor_ striking in the safe zone of the town. But besides, that nothing?"  
"A _meteor_ sir?"  
Jaune asked as a cold hand gripped his spine.  
"Yes but don't worry. It was a minor thing, and damage was minimal. The wasn't even a forest fire, so there is _nothing_ to worry about..."

* * *

"I hate _all_ of you."  
"Hello, _sirs!_ I must say that I am quite pleased to be reunited with you all! And I hope for a quick and expedient mission!"  
 _Six_ said the initiation student grinning as the brown-skinned dark haired boy stepped up to Jaune. His usual _Vox_ pack on his back and his _own_ thick black collar strapped to his neck just like Jaune and _all_ the other Bastion students, along with his stubby now _gauss_ pistol on his side as he and Zach stepped on the bullhead as thier _backup_ arrived.

As soon as Jaune sat down the sounds of two dozen boots filled the air as twenty-four initiation students with _silver swords_ on their chest walked inside as Jaune sighed.  
"Kage when you told me you would get us an audience with the Lancers I didn't think this is what you meant."

Jaune said as thier _charges_ boarded the ship as Kage shrugged. Scratching at _his_ black collar that was like Jaunes, Ruby, and Mika _latched_ firmly to his neck with a large **P** stamped on it the designated them as _punishment_ students as the boy sighed.  
"We need them to like us, so this is how we do it. We bring back theses rookies, and we are _in."_

Kage said as Jaune nodded. The _Piercing lancers_ had given Jaune a _chance._ As a show of good will, and as a _reward_ for actions done with the _Death Kops_ twenty-four of the rookie lancers had been assigned to Jaune under _his_ command.

He was to escort them into and out of the mission. The lancers cared for thier own and if Jaune brought them back alive? He had an inn with the Lancers, and that was good. Aa the final innate walked in the bullhead door closed behind them with a loud pneumonic _hiss!_ As the craft shuddered thrusters firing as they took off. As the ship rose Jaune let a sigh leave his lips as he checks his power sword. He just needed to keep it together for two days. Then they have a whole faction at their back. Jaune just needed to _survive._

* * *

"Whoa! _Sir_ can you see that!?"  
"I see it _Six._ I see it."  
Jaune said looking down past the bullheads extended ramp as he saw _it._ The massive blizzard that surrounded still water ragged aroudn the town. It was a large silver circle with a roaring gust of wind. As Jaune looked down to the whirling cyclone that reminded him of a massive sugar donut just more deadly.  
As the craft rocked.  
 _"We are going in! Hold on tight!"_  
The pilot yelled in his scroll as Jaune nodded.  
 _"OK!"_  
He yelled back as the ship lurched nose diving forward as Jaune held onto a strap for balance as the entered the town's airspace.

* * *

 _"Repeat! This Eagle one! To Steel water Tower! Tower do you read?"_  
The pilot yelled as Jaune walked to the front of the ship as the eager faces of the mainly female initiation students regarded him. Out of the two dozen initiates, only a quarter was male.  
The others all female as the ship rocked as a wave of turbulence sent it shuddering. As the ship rocked Jaune took the time to look over his weapons. As he reached down to his side he drew his _first_ weapon. The glowing blue hue of his _plasma_ gun gave a low hum. As the massive blocky energy pistol with several coils going into hummed in his lap.

 _"Good. It still has charge packs. I can use it for a day or two._ "  
Jaune thought to check the gun's settings before putting it back on his side. As the ship lurched again Jaune sighed as he drew his sword. As he looked at the _thin_ energy sword a frown crossed his face.

 _"How long has it been since I lost Crocea Mors?"_

Jaune thought as the memory of losing his ancestral sword and shield to the _leviathan_ in the ruins filled his mind. As the sword that read _property of Jormund Creed_ on its base was put back. Jaune double checking that its power pack was working correctly. As he yawned he didn't need to check his power fist. That weapon _always_ hummed with a low drone. As it filled the air with the faint acrid smell of ozone as the pilot yelled into his radio as Jaune frowned.

 _"Anyone_ responding?"  
Jaune asked the pilot as he shook his head.  
"No, sir. The tower is _dead._ I'm taking us down to the landing pad as per Ludo's instructions."

The man said as the bullhead dipped down as Jaune nodded.  
"Good. Take us in slow. And keep broadcasting our approach. I don't want us getting shot down because they don't know who the hell we are ok?"  
"As you say, sir." The man said as the Bullhead tilted as Jaune went back to his _friends._

"How's it looking?"  
Kage asked in his typical monotone voice devoid of _all_ emotion as Zach looked out his window.

"Good news the town hasn't gone to heel in a handbasket. _Yet_. No fires, do piles of corpses no obvious signs of damage. That's good. Don't know how long that's gonna last."  
The boy said as Jaune looked out a port window to verify the claim of _nothing out of order._

Zach was right. The town was in regular order. No fires, bot shooting, there was nothing off about the city as even people walked around as the ship rode past a massive silver building that Jaune knew was the Mechanic headquarters as the sizeable black skull looked back at him as-  
 _"Bastion one! This is Tower! Come in!"_  
 _"Tower! This is Eagle one! We are landing on platform A! Confirm?"_  
 _"Landing confirmed! Welcome to Still water boys."_

The voice said as Jaune nodded.  
 _"OK!_ Everyone up! We are investigating a disturbance in town and I want this done right! _Half_ of you will go with Kage and me! We will investigate the base itself and see if we can find out why this town went dark. The others are with Zach and Six! _We_ are your commanding officers, and you _will_ remember that! Do you get me?!"  
 _"Sir yes, sir!"_

The student's yelled as Jaune nodded to them, drawing his plasma pistol.

" _Com on Jaune. Just get through this. You need to get back to Bastion. Ruby needs you. She needs to live. But she needs us to live. Her life matter. Mine doesn't. We have to make it out ok"_

Jaune thought as the ship laned and the students spilled out.

* * *

As soon as Jaune stepped out into the bright sun of _Still Water_ , a woman awaited them. She was a tall young woman. Maybe in her early twenties dressed in low green combat fatigues with long green hair, pale skin, and blue eyes.

 _"Hello!_ My name is _Ester!_ I'm so glad you could come!"  
The woman said coming up as Kage eye her warily as his hands fell to his bolt pistols.  
 _"Kage?"_  
Jaune asked as his _best_ Bastion friend glowered at the woman as his eyes narrowed at her.

"I _don't_ like her _boss._ Somethings wrong with her." Kage said as Jaune's dull blue eyes narrowed into slits.  
"What's the matter?"  
"I don't know... yes. I don't trust her."  
"I see."  
 _"Zach?"_  
Jaune asked turning to his _other_ best friend. And while a bit of an ass his tactical advice and gut instinct had _never_ steered Jaune wrong before.

"I don't trust _any_ woman. But Kage's right. She's _sketchy_ as all hell. I don't like her _walk."_  
"Welcome! Welcome _brave sirs!"_

The woman said happily waving her arms as Kage frowned.  
 _"Brave sirs?"_  
Kage asked as Jauen frowned.  
"Hello, _Esther._ My name is _Jaune Arc._ I'm leading the Bastion inquiry into your town."

Jaune said neutrally in a diplomatic tone as the initiation students now armed with _Arcadian_ gauss weaponry filled out behind him. Forming a defensive firing line in amateur of seconds as Esther smiled openly at them.  
"Thank you! We have been waiting for your team for some time now! How long will you be staying?"

Esther asked as Jaune saw her eyeing the Bullhead like Ruby eyed cookies, or Kage eyed meat.

"We will be here for two days time while we investigate."  
 _"Good! Good!_ You can all stay at our _lodge!_ Even your pilot! In fact, he can come out right now! I'll _take_ him out of the Bullhead for you-"  
 _"No._ No, you will not."  
Jaune said in a steely tone stepping in front of the woman who looked to be really about to attempt to take the pilot out of the bullhead as Jaune blocked her path as Kage's eyes narrowed as Zach unholstered his energy pistols.

"Is... is there a problem _good sirs?"_  
Esther asked pausing looking honestly surprised that Jaune told her she could not take thier pilot off thier ship. "Ummm... Good sirs? What is the issue?"  
"The issue _lady_ is that you can't take our pilot off our damn ship!"  
Zach yelled as Esther blinked owlishly.  
 _"Good sir?"_  
"Quit it with the good sir you _dumb broad!_ You can't take our pilot!"  
"Zach-"  
"I'm _so_ sorry! You are right! I _am_ a _dumb broad!_ Please forgive my _dumb broadness!"_  
Esther said bowing as Zach froze. His black eyes blinking owlishly as his mouth gaping.

 _"What_ did you say?"  
"I said I _agree!_ I am a dumb broad! I do aplogoize!"

The woman said as the four student's looked at each other worry in their eyes as Zach looked at her worriedly.

"I... you _agree_ with me?!"  
"Yes! You are a good sir, and I am as you say a dumb broad!"  
"That's fucking _weird,"_

Zach said as _Esther?_ Suddenly broke into her sweat her eyes rapidly moving in her skull as she began to hyperventilate.

 _"Wierd!? Wierd!? NO!_ Good sirs! Please! I _implore you!_ Nothing is weird! I am a dumb broad! As you say-"  
"Enough. The pilot stays on board. He will be back in _two_ days. Esther take us to the Mechanics building."

Jaune said cutting of Zach before he _bothered_ the strange woman even more as Jaune felt the hair's rise on his arms.

"Sir yes, _sir!"_

Esther said winking flirtatiously at Jaune as she turned around.  
"I _don't_ like this boss."

Kage said as the _definitely_ sketchy woman walk away as the boy _fought_ to not blow her head off as soon as she took her eyes off of him.

"Neither do I."  
Jaune said as the bullhead took off and a sinking feeling formed in his gut. As Jaune had a _distinct_ feeling that this mission was going to be _terrible_.

* * *

"My name is _Jaune Arc!_ _Bastion Death Korps!_ We are sent here on behalf on _Ludo Von Richthofen_ to investigate the communications blackout! Open up!"  
Jaune yelled at the massive silver building as-  
"Nothing? Is anyone in there?"  
Kage asked as the silver skull tinted door stayed still as Jaune frowned. They had been here for almost half an hour and ther was _still_ no word from the tech priest. And this rare Jaune was going to say to hell with it activate his power fist and simply _break_ the door down.

 _"Open up!_ We are here to investigate the communications blackout!" Jaune said as no one replied to his call as even his verified Bastion signal was getting nothing but static.  
"How long has this been like this?"  
Jaune asked Esther as she frowned.  
"For two weeks I'm afraid. Ever since two weeks ago the _Meachicus_ went inside and shut themselves in. They have not made any type of contact with us since then. They have barely made a _peep!"_ Esther said as Jaune sighed.  
"Mechanicus! This is Jaune Arc of the Death Korps! Open up!"  
"Boss. No one's answering."

Kage said as he sighed heavily leaning on the side of the building taking out his bolt pistols as Jaune sighed.  
"I can see that Kage. Dammit, I hope Zach and Six are doing better than us."

* * *

"Sir I'm back from my report!"

A sharp voice said as Zach sighed heavily.  
"You _don't_ say."  
Zach said in a tired voice as he looked out at the _wall_. A massive cyclone of frost stood in front of him. Cascading down in bright plumes of silver and blue as Zach stood in awe as a literal wall of sleet cut off the perimeter to the town. He had his rookie search the forest for anything suspicious as he yeh the wall.  
"So _Six_ you see anything suspicious?"

Zach asked turning around to see _his_ subordinate checking his _Vox_ caster. As he tuned in to a frequency as _Six_ frowned.  
"Sir no, sir!"

The boy said as Zach sighed rubbing his head as he _crushed_ the fallen pieces of wood on the forest floor as he sighed heavily.  
"Goddammit."

"Sir?"  
"Use your _eyes_ dammit!"

Zach said as _Six_ frowned.  
"Sir? I don't understand, use my eyes?"  
"Yes, kid! Use your eyes! What do you see?"

Zach asked pointing around him to the _sea_ of large brown trees. All richly colored and covered in moss as _Six_ frowned.  
"I see trees, sir."  
"What _else?"_  
"I see woodchips, dirt, and streams down the way."  
"What. _Else?"_  
" I saw some plants, why?"

 _Six_ said _clearly_ missing the point as Zach sighed.  
"Kid. Did you even _read_ the mission dossier?"

"Yes, why?"  
"And _what_ did it say about the forest?"  
"That it was lush, full of nonaggressive herbivores."

 _Six_ repeated as Zach nodded.  
"And _what_ have you seen so far kid?"  
"I've seen trees, plants and-"  
"And what?"

Zach asked as the kid _finally_ got it.

"Sir! There are _no_ animals!"

 _Six gasped!_ As Zach nodded.  
 _"Bingo!_ Got it in one! This first is supposed to be lush forest absolutely _filled_ to the brim with animals but where are they?"

Zach asked waving his arms to the _errily_ silent forest as _Six_ frowned heavily.  
"There is no hunting animals sir."

 _"Exactly._ And assuming the town _didn't_ massacre them all in two weeks which I _doubt_ something fishy about this town. And I don't like it."

"Sir what do we do? Do we look for the animals?"

"What? No. Kid the animals are the _last_ of our problems look."

Zach said as he _ground_ up the dirt under his foot using his large black combat boot to stir up the _empty_ mud.

"You see that kid?"

" _Sir..._ what am I _supposed_ to be seeing here?"  
"It's not what you _are_ supposed to see. It's what you are _not_ seeing. Look, there are _no_ bugs. Not here not anywhere! This is an Oum damned forest! For _Monty's_ sake! Where are the animals? Where are the bugs?!"

"I don't know sir... it's like they _vanished."_

"I know and that doesn't sit right. This is just a _three-legged_ hound dog kid. And you know what I say about three-legged hound dogs. _That dog don't_ _fetch._ "

* * *

"What do _you_ think?"

"About you hairstyle _or_ this town. Cause let me warn you _both_ are bad."  
"Thank you, Zach, about the town."

Jaune said as the two of them walked into the _stilted_ town that just made Jaune's back _shiver._

 _"Fishy_. For one there is almost _no_ one in town."  
"I saw I've only seen fifty people since I started to walk and I swear I'm seeing some twice."

"There is also _no_ wildlife in the forest."  
 _"None?_ It's supposed to be lush."  
"It's not. It's _barren_. No deer, no birds, bo moose. Not even bugs."  
"No _bugs?"_

"None. I looked, for over two hours and I got nothing. Besides plants that forest is _dead._ "

"That's... that's _not_ good."  
"You _think?_ Any luck with the techs?"  
"No. They are still locked up tight. I've been trying to get a signal in but they won't even answer."  
"Damn techs. Figures. _Look."_  
Zach said pointing to a woman washing a window with a large towel. The woman was busy scrubbing the window of a shop with a large bucket beneath her as Zach _scowled_ at her.

"What _about_ her?"  
"For _one_ she was washing that window when I went to the forest with _Six_ and the rookies."  
"And?"  
"Two she's still washing too. And _three_ Look at her bucket. It's empty."

"So?"  
"Jaune. It was _empty_ when I left. She's not using any water to wash that window. She's just _rubbing_ it. It's like she doesn't know what to do. Like she's just going through the motions. Like she just _mimicing_."

"The _fuck?"_  
Jaune asked as he squinted his eyes and she _was_ washing with not water...

"Right. She's faking it. The whole town is off."  
He said as Jaune, and he walked the streets as women walked to and fro carrying boxes, wearing suits.

"I mean look at them! Where are all the dumb broads going? This is a _Bastion_ town Jaune. These people look like they are going to fucking office Jobs in Vale. There _are_ no office jobs here. Hell! People here don't even work! Bastion brings them food, water, and medicine. Hell! The damn tech priest even use thier tower to give them entertainment! Besides _existing_ this town has _nothing_ to do. So where the _hell_ is everyone going?"

"I... I don't know."  
"Also. Look _closely_ around us what do you see that's _off?"_

"Where are the _men?_ "  
"No idea... Since we got here there has only been, women. No men."  
"That's _not_ usual."  
"You think? Worst of all they agree with me! I asked one for thirty lien to buy a soda."  
"Are you just a _dick?"_  
"She gave me _one hundred._ She gave me one _hundred_ Lien Jaune. For a soda! And had another woman _break_ open the machine for me. I kept the Lien."  
"That's...  
"Odd as _fuck_. I know. And they keep listening! I told _five_ different ones that they were dumb broads and they _all_ agreed with me! This place is creepy as fuck. Let's find Kage and-  
 _DING!_  
Jaune's scroll rang as Kage texted him.  
 _Get to the Mechanicus base. **NOW!** Don't let Anyone from the own follow you. Don't let anyone so much as **TOUCH** you. We have all the students with us. If you see **ANY** other student on the way here **KILL** them on site, get here soon Jaune. _This _is **bad.**_  
"You read that?"

Jaune asked drawing his plasma pistol. Thumbing the activation rune making the coils _hum!_ With power as his power fist flexed as Jaune took out his sword with his other hand.  
"Sure did. let's get _killing._ " Zach said as he drew his green energy pistols _Slight_ and _Fell_ as the two boys began to _sprint._

* * *

When Jaune and Zach got to the Mechanicus building, it was still barren. No one was outside as they ran up to it.  
"Looks dead."

Zach said the irritation clear in his voice. Dusk had set and _none_ of them had _any_ intention of staying outside or going to the _lodge._  
"Let's find out. This is Jaune Arc-"  
The door opened right away as a loud _hiss_ of air filled the air as-  
 _"Get in! NOW! Before they come!"_  
A feminine voice yelled as Jaune and Zach ran inside the building where Kage, Six and all the students awaited them as the door closed with another sharp hiss of air sealing them all inside a large silver entrance room. With steel walls and floors with one locked door at the end of the room as Kage nodded to him.  
As soon as the door closed-  
"Kage, what's going on?"

Jaune askes stalking up to the man as Kage sighed.  
 _"Boss_ the doors opened, and some tech priest invited us in. Her name's _Alica_ , but she was waiting for you to introduce yourself. She-  
"I'm right here."  
A woman said as another door opened in the back of the room as a tall, light-skinned woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes walked out. She carried the cog wheel on a staff as Jane nodded.  
"Jaune-  
 _"Drink this!_ You must be famished!"  
Alica? Said forcing a canteen of water to a initiates mouth making her _gag_ on the water.  
"Who are you-  
"No time. I need you to order your student's to spread out. This town is _contaminated!"_  
"With what?"

Jaune asked determined to get answers as Alica _sighed._  
"Have you ever heard of something called _Blacklight?"_

* * *

 _"Why me?"_ Zach said as he sighed. He was _ordered_. Quote unquote by Jaune to take two initiates women of all thing with him to check for a perimeter breach. So far none which was good if not expected. This was a mech facility after all and the tech boys knew ther job. Now he just needed to find the broads that had left him, and he could go back to whatever hell hole this was inevitably going to be.  
"Come on! Where are-"  
"What did you ask me here for?"  
A feminine voice from in front of Zach said as he crouched low suddenly feeling a _need_ to be stealthily creeping up to an open door where the two girls he was supposed to be leading stood alone in the room.  
 _"Finally_! He-  
"This."  
One girl said as she ripped opened her shit? Making Zach pause as his _lesbian!_ Sense began to ring as the girl started to heave?  
Her chest _pulsed_ and _throbbed_ writhing as something rolled inside of it?!  
" _The fuck?"_  
Zach thought as the girl's chest _burst!?_

Her skin popped open as several large _tentacles?!_ Shot out of her impaling the other girl in her face mouth and _gun_ making her scream outside as she was _dragged_ inside of the initial girl's _gapping_ squirming chest in a grisly display as Zach swore she was being digested as-  
 _"Who's there!?_ "  
The _girl_ said turning from her grisly task as she stalked to the hallway her _prey_ feebly attempting to escape as she looked at the empty corridor.  
"Just the wind?" _It_ asked a frow split it faces as _it_ grimaced.

* * *

"Ok. As you know the town is infected."

Alica said as Jaune grimaced.  
 _"Blacklight?"_  
"Well-"

Jaune was interrupted as a panting _shaken_ Zach broke into the room.  
"Guys! We got a _problem."_

* * *

 **AN: There we go! We got an _infection_ boys! Shit's about to go down. The town _Arc_ has begun and the next chapter is a claustrophobic mess! About suspicion betrayal and all another manner of terrible things! Also! Mika's revel is getting closer and the first _pillar_ draws to a close! I hope you enjoy and Game on is next! Until then? Thanks for reading!**

* * *

 **Omake. _Here of Remnant_ part Ninteen. _Reunion._ **

_"Commissar!"_  
 _"Ren?"_  
Jaune asked as he and Sieena finished butchering the Gene stealer Grimm that had just perused them halfway through the damn sewers. "Jaune!"  
Pyrrha said as the inquisitor stalked up the two as the faunus soldiers from menagerie stalked forward. Their strange blocky pulse weapons aimed at the tunnels as Sieena communicate with them through some type of archaic communications system. The inquisitor somehow got to Jaune before Ren did as he redhead eyes hid.  
"Report. _Now."_  
"Inquisitor. There is a Genestealer infection below the city."  
"I can see that."  
Pyrrha said kicking the body of one of the dead Grimm scowling. As she saw the freshly disintegrating corpses as she sighed heavily. "This changes everything. And it explains everything." Pyrrha said grimacing as Ren finally got to him. The sigh of his second in command running up to him was refreshing for Jaune as Ren's haggard unkept face and hair ran up to him hell pistols on his sides fresh from use.  
"Commissar! Are you ok?"  
Ren asked looking the commissar over as Jaune nodded.

"Fine Ren. I and Sieena are both fine."  
Jaune said making sure he said he and Sieena. Bringing attention to the fact that he and Sieena worked together. Making is know that he was working with the faunus. Showing the normally less than open imperials that he was working with a faunus.  
And to show the faunus he respected Sieena enough to ask about her well beings. As Sieena nodded to him subtly as Jaune went on.  
"We encountered a gene stealer nest and after an unfortunate, but unavoidable incident we alerted them to our presence."  
"What was the accident?" Pyrrha asked as Jaune saw Sieena gulp audibly.

"It was the collapse of a ceiling section. A large amount of the ceiling fell altering the Grimm to our presence. We couldn't avoid it and it was _unfortunate."_  
"I see."  
Pyrrha said as Sieena smiled warmly at him.  
"Anyways. Now that _we_ know what we are facing we should head back to the surface. We should make our way home before we face any more incidents." Pyrrha said as everyone nodded together.  
"Let's go men. We got civilians to save."  
Jaune said in his best Commisar voice as Ren nodded.

"As you say, Commissar."  
"Now Emarld won't have to threaten to kill our allies!"  
Pyrrha hissed as Emerald flushed.  
"He started it!"  
"Did not."  
Mercury said smugly leaning on his sniper rifle. His long lass held on the floor as a staff as Emerald glowered at him.  
" _Yes, you did!"_  
 _"No, I didn't!_  
 _"Yes, you did!"_  
 _"Prove it."_  
"You-"  
"Children, _please!_ Let us work together!"  
Pyrrha said as the two groups nodded and begna to move out. As they left the sewers behind them.


	36. Pillar one the town II

**AN: Here it is! The next chapter of Bastion! In this one, the _town_ arc concludes! We see the horrors of _it_ and the stork keeps on rolling on it all of its horror! Also, the final _arc_ of Pillar _one_ begins right now! After this, we will get to see what Ludo _really_ wants from Jaune! We get to see what the _Piercing lancers_ are all about! And we push ever closer to the pillar one finale! Until then? As always... _Enjoy..._**

* * *

"Problem? What kind of problem?"  
Jaune asked the panting boy who had just burst into thier meeting room nearly earning a face full of led as a creeping sense of doubt filled his body as Zach burst into the central room of the Mecanicus HQ. The boy was panting and coughing roughly as he waved his arms and one green pistol in the air.  
"Fuck! One of! One of them!"  
Zach panted obviously winded and _clearly_ bothered by something.

"One of the what?"  
"The broads! One of the broads _ate_ the other one!"

Zach shouted as the room seemed to freeze all eyes turning to him as Jaune frowned. Normally he would not care about Zach's plain sexist words, but this time the boy had taken a bit to much of something.  
"She was eaten?"  
Jaune asked raising a smug eyebrow at Zach thinking that he had finally lost it as the boy nodded.  
"Yeah! She was eaten! The other's one's chest literally opened up, and tentacles came out-  
" _Tentacles?"_  
"Yes, Kage! Tentacles came out of one of their chest and ate her!"  
"You have to watch too much Mistral porn."

Kage said smugly as the brown-skinned boy gave a short chuckle, checking the iron sights of his large red pistols as Zach growled.  
"Fuck off you moody fuck! You would not know what to do with the shit I just saw either!"

"And what _did_ you see? Bee exact, we need as many details as possible."  
Jaune said firmly not knowing what was wrong with his friend, but not willing to put off a potential psych risk that easy.  
Zach looked a mess, his normally smooth black hair was a mess. It was uneven and unkempt. He was breathing hard, and his face was flushed.  
He looked _scared..._ Zach was _never_ sacred. Not in the deadlands, not in the Kernel he was _angry_ at times but not scared, never that. He looked like he had seen something horrible and was barely keeping it together.

His black eyes shot back and forth in his head. And he looked like he was about to break into hysterics.

"What did you see Zach?"

Jaune asked now taking the boy seriously. Anything that could shake Zach was not good news and Jaune needed to get to the bottom of it.

"I saw a girl. She was talking to the other girl I was with alone."  
"Ok. And then what happened?"  
"I told you! She ripped off her shirt!"  
"Sounds fun."

Kage chuckled checking his gun sights before Zach snarled at him.  
"Fuck off you edgy fuck! She took off her shirt, yeah I saw her tits but her chest heaved! Like there was something inside of it. Before tentacles! Real live fucking tentacles shot out! I know this sounds crazy, but it happened!"  
"Ok. Let's just say I believe you."

Jaune said trying to placate the boy who was now making thier student's look uncomfortable.

"It happened!"  
"I'm not saying that it didn't. But what happened to the other girl?"  
"She's dead. The tentacles went clean past her aura, not that she had any and into her head. She was dead before she was eaten."  
Jaune froze, crazy or not Zach would not make up the death of one of his squadmates. Not like this, this could be a problem.

"Ok. We need to find out what happened-  
"She got _infected,"_ Alica said quietly from the back of the room where she stood in front of a large computer screen her blonde hair frayed as she frowned.  
"Infected? With what?"

"Jaune. Order your men to seal the door Zach came in. I need to tell you all the story of why this town went dark and why it is imperative that we can not! Let anyone leave, maybe even us."  
Alica said as Jaune grimaced as the woman began to tell them a tale.

* * *

"So it's a _virus."_  
Jaune said in a monotone voice as a creeping sense of terror ran up his spine as Alica nodded.  
The techpriest had them practically seal themselves inside the small main room of the facility. The small metallic room was not mean to hold twenty-three people and most of the initiation students where huddled shoulder to shoulder in cramped quarters as Alica nodded.

"Yes. It's an alien virus."  
"An _alien_ virus? Really? We are going to be fighting _aliens_ today?"  
Kage asked not yet convinced as to what the woman was saying. It was insane! There was no way what this woman was saying was true-

"Yes. We have encountered it in Bastion's history before. It has come into Remnant once in our past in the far norths of Atlas. But this time it landed here."  
Alica said taking out her scroll, sending the same redacted files to everyone as Jaune nodded already having read the knowledge before with Uzepi as she went on.  
"It is a parasitic alien virus that seeks to assimilate its chosen host. It infects and assimilates almost everything it touches."  
Alica said with absolute certainty making the room bristle with fear as Jaune gulped.  
"This... this is real?"  
Zach asked his mouth dropping as Alica nodded.

"Yes, it is _deadly_ real. Zach right? You saw the assimilation process yourself. I apologize for that I know it can be quite _unpleasant_ to witness."  
"Unpleasant!? It was fucking terrifying!"  
Zach snarled taking out his twin guns as Alicia nodded.  
"Yes I know, but please listen to me."  
"Go on, we are _all_ ears."  
"Thank you, Jaune. Over two weeks ago a meteor fell to the town. Normally this is unusual happening but a non-issue. The meteor impacted the forest on the outskirts of town and nothing much happened after. The town was quiet."

"I'm guessing it didn't stay quiet."  
Jaune asked as Alica nodded.  
"No, it did not. Or it did."  
"What happened next?"

"Well for one all the wildlife in the surrounding forest disappeared. I do not need to tell you how strange this is. The wildlife here is personally crafted for the town plus there are _no_ predators in the forest. We needed to make sure that the town would have a variety of food we make the wildlife easy to hunt, with plenty of meat and nonviolent to the villagers."

"You _created_ the wildlife?"

Kage asked raising an eyebrow to the woman never taking his guns from the door.

"More or less. We allowed them to breed, and we altered their genetics afterward, but that's not the point! After the wildlife vanished, there was a rash of disappearances of townspeople."

"I'm guessing they never came back, did they?"  
Zach asked with a grimace as Alica frowned.

"No. All of the townspeople came back. Well _half_ of them ended up coming back. They disappeared for a while, but they all came back. But _they_ didn't come back."  
"They didn't come back?"  
"No Jaune, they didn't come back. It came back."

Alicia clarified shaking with fear as Jaune frowned.

"It?"  
"This thing is a _shapeshifter."_

"A _shapeshifter?_ You got to be fucking with me."  
Zach said looking on in disbelief as the woman shook her face.

"Not at all, believe me, I wish I was joking. This _thing_ can flawlessly replicate organic matter to a ludicrous degree. It can reshape reform and mold itself to its will. It killed the town's people. Took their place, infiltrated the village acting _flawlessly_ in the place of the ones it already picked and slowly picked off the rest of them over time."

"Just like the animals!"  
 _Six_ said his olive eyes flickered with fear as she nodded.  
"Yes _Six,_ just like the animals. Although it was much more calm with the townspeople. By the time I noticed anything was wrong it was too late. The thing had spread into the town killing and assimilating the citizens until I was left here alone."

The woman said sadly her head falling down her long golden hair flowing downward as Jaune snarled.  
"How do we kill it?"  
"It's hard."  
"Hard is not impossible. Tell me it has to have a weakness."

Jaune _hoped_ it had a weakness or else he was going to get killed and _assimilated..._

"It does. We can kill it."  
Alica said as the room let out a held breath as she nodded.  
"With conventional weapons, it is near impossible to kill. But! If any of you have a fire-based weapon system? A flamethrower perhaps? That would be best. It can regenerate its own matter and flames are the most efficient way possible of killing it."

"Where's Mika when you need her?"  
Zach half asked half snarled into his palm checking the door with Kage his green guns glittering in the rooms dim light.

"So we can't just shoot it to death?"  
Kage askes growing deeply checking his guns.  
"We _can_ shoot it. But that will do almost nothing to it. You might destroy the body, but it can regenerate its matter rapidly"  
"I have a plasma pistol, will that work?"

Jaune asked checking his plasma pistol to Alica.  
"It _is_ an older model but I believe it will. Yes, that could kill it!"

"Good. Anything else?"  
"Yes. From what I have observed this thing while able to replicate organic material it cannot _copy_ the intelligence of the things it assimilates."

"What does that mean?"  
"It is an assimilation organism. It tries to infiltrate the environment that its prey lives in. This means that it has to interact with its potential host IE us in our own environment in some manner. It can have limited human interactions and can mimic our intelligence but it cannot truly learn."

"The _window washer."_  
Zach said slamming a fist into his palm as a look of realization dawned on his face as he frowned.

"It can only mimic! It doesn't know for itself! That's why it couldn't figure out how to clean the window!"

"Yes. If it does not see a member of the species act, it will not know how to. It has only limited information abilities if can not just do things it has to observe them being done first. That is one way to tell if one is infected."

Alica clarified as Jaune sorted all of this information in his head as he snarled.

"Besides that, how would you tell if one is infected? Is there a facial expression? A test we can run maybe something medical?"

"You don't. Unless they attack you, they are near undetectable. Thought I might be able to work out a test involving _blood t_ o tell. That test was used during the initial instance of this _thing_ but..."

The woman said before shaking her head.  
"But! This incident of the virus is _very_ different than other encounters from it! Its behavior is radically different than it's predecessor and I don't know why!"  
"Different how? What does that mean?"

"Two things. One this virus apparently has a _preference_ in its victims. It will only assimilate _women."_  
Alica said as the room majority female began to shift nervously as eyes darted back and forth making Jaune frown.

"Only women?"  
"Yes. This virus might incubate in a male, but it will not attempt to assimilate them. Or it will not in any instances that I have seen"  
"So it's a _picky_ eater?"  
Zach asked as Alica nodded.  
"A crude analogy but an accurate one. Yes. Also, we have learned that this variant is vulnerable to constant exposure to _radiation."_

Alica said pulling out her scroll and looking over it intensely.

"Radiation?"  
"Yes. If it is exposed to a _concentrated_ amount of radiation for even a _brief_ period of time the virus will lose most if not _all_ of its already limited intelligence. It will lose most of its drive to assimilate and will begin to act almost docile to others."

Alica said scrolling in her scroll as Jaune cocked his head at her.

 _"Docile?"_  
"Yes docile. Prolonged exposure to the virus with concentrated amounts of radiation makes the cells almost forget how to infect. If they exposed themselves to radiation they don't attempt to bond with other living tissue, they lose thier ability to regenerate and they are notably weaker than others."  
"So this thing won't infect men, and it's vulnerable to radiation?"

Zach clarified checking his guns with a small smile on his lips.

"Yes."  
"Ok. What about _our_ missing women? Can we do anything for them? Is there a cure?"

Jaune asked already thinking of his missing squad mates. He might not have known them for long but the Piercing lancers were counting on him to get thier people home and he would be damned if he didn't do everything possible to save them.

"No. I am sorry, your friends are dead or _worse._ "  
"Clara...'  
A faunus girl with tiger ears said dropping her head as another girl with long blonde air and green eyes petted her back.

"Wait! You said that this thing only infects women right?"  
Zach asked suddenly standing up moving to the far side of their cramped room as Kage acted on instinct born of _years_ of trust following his best friend weapons drawn as Jaune followed Kage.

"Zach? What are you doing?"  
"The girls! Some of them might be infected already and we don't know it yet!"  
Zach yelled as a gasp left the students.

"We are not infected!"  
A girl with a fiery temper and brown skin named _Ray_ said as Zach snarled.

"Alica! What are the odds that one of them _is_ infected right now!"  
He asked as the woman checked her scroll.

'Did _any_ of the females here wander alone for any period of time?"  
"Hell yeah! I had them split up in the forest! There was at _least_ one all women group there!"  
"Then the odds of one of us being infected is around _seventy-five_ percent."  
"See! I-

"Quiet! None of us are infected, _Zach!_ We are all just a bit jumpy ok? Alica if we were infected we would have attacked by now right? We are in a crowded room this is an _ideal_ ambush zone. If one of us was infected it would have killed us all _right?_ "  
"Maybe not-  
"I said _Right?"_

"I mean... yes... it would have attacked by now... we are all clean..."

"Good! Now everyone needs to calm down. No one is infected here. We will find _our_ friends if they are still alive."  
Jaune assuaged his charges as a wave of relief flooded them.

"So are they dead?"  
"Worse. _Infected_ they will come here and try to assimilate us. We need-  
 _Thud! Thud! Thud!_  
 _"Hello? Sirs? Can we come in?"_  
A voice shouted outside of the door as dull thuds came from the outside. Instantly every gun was drawn pointing at the door. Jaune's plasma pistol _hummed_ in activation as Kage's bolt pistols clicked ominously Zach fell back his twin pistols never leaving the door as the initiation students all drew their assault rifles.

 _"Clara?!"_  
" Everyone up! I need women in the back do not! Look like you are nervous. Men go to the sides and get ready to fire. I"ll open the door. Once its inside fire."  
Jaune said as all of them nodded as he went to the door.

 _"Hello?"_

Jaune asked as he reached for the door's switch to open it clutching his pistil so tight he swore his fingers were bleeding.

 _"Sir! We are here! We completed our patrol and our leader left us! Can you please let us in?"_

The voice said as Jaune opened the door to see two initiation students. One with blonde hair red eyes. The other with brown hair blue eyes waiting for him.

"Clara? Sarah correct?"  
Jaune asked as the _girls_ nodded as he stepped aside to let them in.

"Come in, come in."  
Jaune said as the girl wake din as Jaune stepped to the side-  
"Now!"  
Jaune yelled as the room was suddenly filled with automatic weapons fire. As the gauss weapons of the men fired tearing up the girls in showers of blood and gore.

The girls as they were now vulnerable tried to fight back. Jaune saw there flesh bulge as talons?! Came out of thier broken arms as the hail of bullets ripped them apart.

"Enough! We got them. Alica, I thought they were hard to kill?"

Jaune said looking at the desecrated corpses in front of him.

"You blew them apart with _Gauss_ weapons! I think that will kill almost anything!"

The woman said as Jaune nodded looking at brutalized bodies of what was his charges. The dead women had long elongated claws coming from their hands, as their faces looked like melted candle wax. Like they were shifting and molting as Jaune gagged.

"What the hell?"  
The boy asked kicking one of the dead monsters with his shoe. The thing twitched violently making Jaune leap back pistol raised-  
"Stay away! Don't touch them! I don't know how contagious they are even after death!"  
Alica warned as Jaune backed up the jerking corpses bleeding out as-

"The hell was that!?"  
"Was that _Sarah?!"_  
"What's going on?!"  
The panicked voices of the initiation students yelled as Jaune grimaced.

"Calm down! We killed them. They pose no danger to anyone now right Alica?

"No... at least I don't think they do and any danger that they do pose is severely limited."  
She added seeing Jaunes withering glare and adding the last part for the benefit of the students.

"What the hell are we going to do with them? We can't just leave them here, can we? Is that even safe?"  
Zach asked his black eyes not once leaving the corpses of the former Bastion students.

"I can perform a _dissection_! I have yet to see a corpse of the creature and I believe I can learn a great deal from them. If you would allow me to. You are the leader in Arc. And even if our command structure is different, I would need your help moving the creatures remains."

Alica said to Jaune bowing in her flowing dove covered robes. Rasing her small staff with a cog skull on it.

"Fine. Zach, get three students and find a gurney or something to haul it on."  
"Why me?"  
"Because _I_ said so, now move!"

"Stupid blonde, ok you lot! Let's get these things on something, Alicia you have anything metallic with weels that we can put this thing on?"  
"Yes! Let me bring you a gurney."

The woman said rushing to receive a gurney as Jaune looked at the dead forms of the monsters as he felt a creeping dread claw his back. Alica wheeled a gurney as she passed out thick plastic gloves to Zach and the students assisting him as one of the monsters was lifted up.  
"What about _that_ one?"

"Kage has a point, are we taking both of them?"

"No. I only need one, we can leave that one for now."  
"I don't want this thing just here. You, you, you guard it."  
Jaune said pointing to three random students all female as they saluted sharply taking a guard position around the corpse as the monster was loaded onto the cart with Zach yelled-  
"Don't touch it! Don't let the thing get on you!"  
Zach warned the student with him as the thing was loaded up and pushed off.

* * *

 _"Fascinating."_  
Alica said cutting into the flesh of the dead monster with a laser scalpel. The thing's corpse was loaded up and no on a gurney in a dissection room, or really the hospital of the base.  
Alicia had been taking the monsters remains apart for over half an hour. Hacking into the flesh of it, putting it on tables and Petri dishes. Running all forms of analysis on it with a myriad of machines as Jaune Kage, along with their other Bastion members watched with peaked interest and morbid fascination.

"So Alica what do we have here? Is it as bad as we thought?"

Jaune asked as the woman pulled up her pale dissection mask covered in viscera as she frowned.

"No. It's much worse."  
The woman grimaced as a _sharp_ ding! Was heard and a machine that was currently rapidly rotating vials of blood stopped. The screen shooting out a series of numbers and letters so rapidly Jaune never had a chance to comprehend as the woman frowned.  
"How much worse is it?"

"Well as I said this thing is _extraterrestrial."_  
"An _alien?"_  
Six asked eyes wide in fascination as a smile of all things came on his lips.

"Don't look at it like it's going to give you a kiss kid. Unless you like some tentacles in your _gut."_

Zach muttered bitterly still eyeing the monster like it was going to leap out at him in a moments notice. The monster seemed long dead, but the boy was not taking any chances. A smart move too and one mimicked by the others, Jaune still had his plasma pistol out and glared at the monster.  
"Yes, this thing is not native to Remnant."

"Should we be worried about disease? What if it has stuff from wherever the hell it's from? Should we be wearing gas masks?"  
"Where is _your_ mask Arc?"  
Zach asked eyeing the boy as she grimaced.  
"I left it in the room. I didn't think I would need it."

Jaune admitted a blush forming on his cheeks as Zach smirked.

"Well ain't that a lapse in judgment."  
Zach said sarcastically raising his guns making Jaune sigh.  
"How do we kill it?"

Jaune said once again bringing the matter at hand as the tech-priest put down her gore-drenched scalpel.

"Like I said. We need fire-based attacks. This thing can regenerate and replicate rapidly. It also seems to have the ability to harden its skin. Although your plasma pistol might work. I think that and you friends bolt pistols might cause enough structural damage to force the thing into a nonactive state."

"Good. I _can_ shoot the thing to death."  
Kage said smirking his thing lips forming into a rough smile that seemed to hurt.

"Alright, this is what's going to happen. We leave this thing here. _Six_ call Bastion we need an evac. Tell them our situation see if we can order an air strike on the town."  
"An air strike sir?"  
"Yes. I want them to clear out a path to us. Don't worry about collateral damage, the town is lost anyway. We will use the distraction caused by the airstrike to get the hell out of here ok?"

"Sir you _can't!"_  
One of the student a girl with mocha skin, red hair and a pair of fox ears said as Jaune saw the name tag _Clarisa_ on it.  
"Clarisa? Why not?"  
"Sir! The woman said it herself! The virus does not attack men, and we have not seen any men in the town! What if they are in the buildings? What happens if we blow up the civilians?"

"How do we know they are even alive?"  
Another girl, this one with long blue hair and pale skin along with a pair of blinking green eyes, said with a curious look. Her name tag read _Lilith._  
"Lilly! We can't leave people!"

"Clar. What if they are infected? We would kill them anyway, why risk our lives looking for them?"  
"Becuase we are training to be _huntresses!_ We rescue people in need! It' what we do!"  
Clarissa said in an oddly Ruby manner making Jaune wince.

"Alica, what does this thing do to _us_?"

"Us?"  
"Those of us without double chromosomes. You said it leaves us alone right? How _alone_ is alone?"

"I... I don't know."  
"You don't know?"  
Zach asked raising a curious eyebrow to her as she sighed.

"I don't know I'm sorry. When people started to disappear it was women first men second. The women came back the men did not."  
"So they are probably dead."  
Zach deadpanned as Clarissa looked ready to punch him-

"Or they could be alive. We don't know for sure do we?"  
Jaune asked to a thankful nod form Clarissa her red fox ears twitching in appreciation as the techpriest sighed.

"I... It is possible. I have no idea what thier fate is, the virus does not seem to affect men, it is also known that the men that left were never seen again. I don't know what thier ultimate fates where. I am sorry."

"So they could be alive. _Six_ call off the airstrike for the moment. Let's see if we can find a pilot that can get us out of this site. Alica, I'm assuming that this place has a com room?"

"Yes, on the third floor."  
"Good. Six take two students with you and try to contact Bastion. The equipment _is_ working right?"  
"It is, I have not been able to use it out of fear that any amount of Bastion help would be infected and the virus would spread. I was hesitant to let you all in, but I took a risk, and it's paying off."

"Ok _Six_ will get us evac, the rest of us stick together I don't want anyone going off alone for any reason. Alica, how does this thing infect others?"  
"It takes direct physical contact, _cuts, bites_ , exposure of _fluids_ really."  
"Alright, when we are getting the hell out of here no one touch anyone! I-  
 _Ding!_

A machine dinged as Alica turned to face a low green screen. Looking at it once before she screamed. The woman leaped back slamming a button by her as a glass case slammed down. Encasing the corpse behind thick see-through the material as Alicia began to panic.

 _"Woman?!_ The hell is going on? You are panicking, I don't' like it when people panic!"

Zach said aiming his guns at the monster as all weapons suddenly shot up pointing at the dead creature as-  
"It has rudimentary activity! Its cells have rudimentary activity!"  
Alica screamed almost frantic as Jaune felt his pulse quicken.

"What does that mean?"  
"It's not dead! Its cells are still active! It's _alive!"_  
Alicia yelled moving back and-  
"The girls!"  
Kage yelled pointing out the three students they left to guard the corpse as Jaune felt the blood drain from his face.

"Move; now."  
Jaune said already sprinting down the corridors he was soon followed by the marching boots of those around him.

* * *

"They... they are _gone..."_  
Clarissa said her fox ears going flat on her face as the color drained from her mocha skin as the Bastion students returned to the guard scene where no students where stationed, as no corpse no students no sign of anything but a sizeable messy blood stain that was not there before was all that was left of the student.s "Boss...  
"Everyone listen up. Split into teams right now. Kage, Zach, pick five students to go with you. Gather all supplies you can finds. Food, water medicine and bring them back to the exam room. Find as much as you can and do not! Let anyone out of your sights."  
"Got it."  
Kage said frowning at the blood smear as Zach scowled.  
"Shit! Now we got a damn alien! Where is the damn psychopath when we need her?! Of all the times we need a _flamer_..."

Zach groaned as the still wet blood dripped onto the floor.

"Names. I need names of the three we left. _Clarissa."_

"Yes, sir! The names of the students where, _Mable, Lisa_ and _May_ sir!"

"Got it. Everyone! If you see any of those students do not approach them. Run away and seek help. If the approach you, you open fire on them. Do not let them get close to you do I make myself clear?"  
Jaune asked stomping to the surgery room the sound of six feet falling behind him.

"Sir yes, sir!"  
"Good. Everyone we have a perimeter breach here, I don't know what we are dealing with, but I'm taking no chances here. Zach, what's your status?"  
 _"We got the food, sir. We'll be back in the OR in about ten."_

"Good. Maintain radio contact every two minutes. Do not! Let yourself go dark for longer than that. Any longer than that and I will assume you are lost."  
 _"Got it! Jeez, calm down kid. I'm not letting anything from beyond the stars molest my ass."_  
"See to it that you don't. Kage."  
 _"We have the water and medicine. We searched all through the base. No enemy contacts."_  
"Have you seen anything?"  
 _"Yes, we noticed several air ducts have been tampered with. I think they are using them to travel undetected."_

 _"Oh great! They are going to be coming out of the dame walls! Fuck me."_  
The boy groaned over his scroll as Jaune grimaced.  
"Change of plans. Contact every minute. Do _not_ go dark. I will assume compromise if you are and we will fire on you."  
 _"Understood."_  
 _"Fine. I guess I'd shoot your pasty ass if I were the leader. We'll be back soon Zach out."_  
"Good. Kage?"  
 _"On our way boss. Don't worry we will be fine."_

The boy said cutting off the link as Jaune, and his charges burst into the _OR._ Alica had two boys stationed at the box containing the parasite. The corpse was still unmoving, but Jaune was taking no chances with that thing. Jaune had ordered them into three group almost instantly after the _vanishing_ of thier guards. One for food, one for water and medicine. If they had a breach they would simply all go to a fortified area with as much food and water as possible with _nobody_ allowed to be alone for any period of time until thier rescue came.

"Alica, how's it looking? Has that thing so much as twitched?"  
"No thankfully. I think we rendered it inert. I hope."  
"I don't like _hope."_  
Zach said as he and Kage's groups came in. Carrying food, water, and medical supplies along with them.

"Any contact on the way here."  
"Not a damn _peep!_ I'd think we had them running scared, but by the way, _these_ lot are pissing their pants? That's not an option."

Zach said earning an angry glare from the students behind them even if most of their face where sheet white. There guns shaking as they carried in the supplies.  
"Door now! I don't want this thing opened until we get the hell out of here."

Kage ordered his students as they put down their medicine closing the metal door. Before they split up into three teams. There were three doors into the surgery room. Two of them were now being welded shut. The other was being guarded by six armed students and Kage himself.  
As the boy following Jaune's orders limited the enemies attack avenues, restrict them hopefully to only one attack route that could be easily covered and hosed down with superior firepower. These things might be hard to kill, but enough firepower could put anything down. Hopefully.

 _"Six_! Any contact from Bastion?"  
 _"Yes! They responded rather quickly sir."_  
"How quickly?"  
 _"My first call! There's a bullhead in route! I don't have an ETA till arrival, but we got a ride home!"_  
"Ok, everyone! Good news looks like evac is coming. We are going _home."_

Jaune said as a collective breath left the mouths of the students, "Finally! Looks like drinks are on me."  
Zach said smiling widely putting down his guns and-  
 _Thud! Thud! Thud!_  
" _Help! Please! Open the door!"_

The room went still in a moment. All eyes and guns turned to the one nonwelded door as-  
 _"Help! Please! Those things are right behind me!"_  
"Mable?! That's Mable"!  
Clarissa said as-  
"Kage. Zach. Go to the sides of the door. Everyone _else!_ Fan out in a circle. Alicia get me a bucket of water and towels."  
"Jaune-  
"Do it!"  
The boy yelled as the room scrambled to obey him as Jaune strolled to the door.

* * *

 _"Help! Please! I need to get in!"_

The girl said as Kage fell onto the side of the door, and Zach slid on the other side. Both boys had their guns trained on it as Jaune moved the barricade aside. The sound of clicking guns filled the air as the students aimed all their weapon at him.  
Covering his approach.  
 _"Mable."_  
 _"Yes! I'm Mable! It's really me! Let me in!"_  
"I'm going to open the door. Do _not_ come in at once."  
Jaune said pressing a side panel as the door slid open revealing a blonde hair blue eyed woman with shaking eyes, a torn green flak jacket and a body doused with blood.

"Come in slowly. Do not make any sudden movements."  
Jaune said as he stepped back plasma pistol focused on her as she nodded.

Practically jogging inside as the door slid shut behind her. Instantly she saw the guns on her and froze. Kage pressed his bolt pistols to the back of her head and spine. Making the girl freeze.

"Guys... it's me! I'm-

"Walk to the center of the room. Now."  
Jaune said as the girl gulped following his advice as Alicia readied a bucket of water.  
"What now?"  
 _"Strip."_  
Jaune said as the woman froze.  
"What?!"  
"You heard me. Take off your clothes. All of them. _Now."_  
Jaune said as the woman gulped.

"O... ok..."  
The girl said as she began to strip. The girl took off her bloody flak jacket as she stripped slowly. Revealing her pale skin, and blue bra and underwear.  
"Is this really necessary-  
"Don't stop. Hesitate again, and I _will_ shoot."  
Jaune said not backing down with his pistol glowing as Mable whimpered. The girl was down to her underwear before-  
"Jaune do we have to maker her strip full?"

Zach of all people asked with an uncharacteristic frown on his face.  
"Yes. Underwear off."  
Jaune said as the girl blushed brightly slowly painfully taking off her underwear before standing nude before them and-  
'Alica."

Jaune said as the woman doused her in warm water.

The girl gasped as she was doused in water. As Alica ran her scroll over her. As she scanned her the blue light from her scroll going over her naked form and-  
" _Clean!_ She's clean!"  
The woman said as Jaune sighed. No outward wounds, no apparent signs of infection and-

Jaune saw it before it happened. A low swinging shape appeared in the back of the group as Jaune felt the attack as the one attack avenue he had not considered happened as it struck from the vents.  
 _"Behind you!"_

Jaune shouted too late as a girl was impaled.  
Her screams would haunt his dreams as the student was impaled by a massive red tentacle.  
The girl screamed her gun firing randomly hitting and killing two others. The Gauss powered bullets shredding apart two soldiers cutting them down like paper-  
"The _vents!_ It's in the vents!"

Zach yelled as a save of bullets filled the area. As the harsh sound of gunfire filled Jaunes ears as the tentacle was cut in half. It fell to the ground dropping the woman still impaled on it as it retreated back into the vent.

 _"Gun!_ I need a _gun!"_

Mable shouted as Jaune hissed.  
" _Circle! Circle up_! Don't let yourself be taken off guard and watch the damn vents!" Jaune yelled waving the now shocked and somewhat terrified students into a circle as Clarissa tossed her weapons from one of the shredded troopers as-  
 _"There!"_  
Zach yelled as he fired his weapon into the ceiling the green bolts were meet by drips of blood followed by a scream form something unhuman as Jaune fire into with his plasma pistol making whatever was in the vent shudder and stop.

"Is it dead?"  
Lisa? Was it asked pointing her gun at the vents as-  
The screams came first.  
Instantly the legs of three girls were cut off. As the corpse of the impaled woman sprung to life. The girls head elongated into a twisting fleshy scythe that lashed out cutting off the legs of three soldiers making them howl as blood shot into the air-  
"Fire!"  
Kage yelled as the body was hosed down by a now lessened wave of gunfire. As the corpse shuddered as it was blown apart before Jaune laned a whoosh of plasma on it. Making it melt.

"Fuck! What was that!?"  
Zach hissed as their group was almost cut in half. The students where panicking and Alica looked ready to lose her mind.  
 _"Six!_ When is that ship coming?!"

 _"Less than an hour sir! We are safe in the coms room! I sealed the vents, and the door is on lockdown! We'll run when you do!"_  
"Good! Everyone calm down! We need to be patient!"  
"Patient?! Did you see that shit!?"

Another faunus girl with dog ears and tanned skin said. Her blue eyes wide with fear her gun tracing wild arcs in the air.  
 _"Ray_ we need to be calm. We are going to make it."  
A boy next to her with red hair and green eyes with the name _Isaiah_ on his flak jacket said.  
"Did you see that shit I!? That was not ok!"

 _Ray_? Asked her blue eyes shaking as Isaiah put a hand on her shoulder.  
"I know, but we need to-  
The woman didn't get a chance to respond as she was punched through the _spine._ The girl behind her easily _punched_ past her spine tearing it out and-  
"Ray!? _NO!"_

Isaiah screamed as the girl now revealed to be a symbiote killed his friend. Punching a fist clean through her spin and ending her life in a brutal moment. The _things_ triumph was short lived as it was soon hosed down with gunfire only for the ceiling to collapse, and a _monster_ dropped down.

Jaune had seen monsters in his life. He saw a deathstalker in initiation. He saw the _horrifying Cacklers_ that perfectly mimicked his voice and tore out his guts to the monstrous Spitters. That hurled globs of bioplasma that _melted_ people into unidentifiable green _goop_ that smelled of rotted meat. He had seen the _abominations_ in the ruins all the way to the massive _Patriarch_ but all of those _paled_ in comparison to the _thing_ that stood before him.

It was a _massive_ monstrosity with bright red puckered flesh that bleeds out something Jaune _hoped_ was blood, it was bipedal in form with stumped gait. Its legs were the size of tree trunks, and its arms were half as long as a bullhead. Its face was like that of a Beoulw long and lupine with rows of sharp teeth-  
"Kill it!"  
Zach yelled as Jaune fired without thinking. The plasma bolt blasted into its flesh boiling of slabs of pure muscle and made it scream. The weapons discharge searing itno its flesh cooking the meet. As Kage's massive retorts filled the air. As the bolt pistol slammed into it's back. Making the monster shudder as its back burst into showers of blood and bone.  
As the thing buckled the large monster staggering as the smaller one begna to butcher the others. The girl formerly named Eliza by her tag had grown her nails to that of like scythes. It was like miniature versions of Crescent Rose where on her fingertips as she began to butcher the Bastion students.

The girl's claws tearing apart the female students in a matter of moments. Ripping them apart as if they were paper, dancing into them as Zach's guns trained on her not willing to fire on _it_ for fear for hitting his own soldiers as thier men wore torn apart Jaune focused his fire on the thing face.

Twisting his gun setting it to line. Firing it at once a stead ling of plasma shot out evaporating the monsters head. Causing it to shudder and fall as it fell backward one of its massive hands smashed into the ceiling gouging it and causing a wave of metal to fall down right on Isaiah's head and-  
 _"NO!"_  
The thing that was once called _Eliza_ yelled as she stopped her butchering of Bastion students dashing forward and _blocking?!_  
The thing _blocked_ the falling debris, protecting Isaiah with her own body. Gruning as the boy's olive eyes blinked wildly at his friend's murderer as-  
" _What are you waiting for?! Move!"_

The creature yelled struggling to uphold the debris as Isaiah scurried out of the way. As the beast pushed off the rubble as the few remain students held their guns on it as the monster growled.  
"So-  
Jaunes plasma pistol fired before it could speak. Killing or hopefully killing it instantly. The thing died in a moment in a ball of blue fire. As the monsters smoldering corpse began to burn he turned his plasma pistol to _berth_ setting and fired onto the massive monster until it was a raging ball of blue depleting his ammo until the thing _melted._

* * *

 _"Six._ Get us the hell out of here! Everyone! We need to-  
"Sir! She's down!"  
A boy yelled as a pale girl fainted as Jaune hissed.  
"Medic!"  
"I'm on it!"  
Another shaking girl yelled as she ran forward to the collapsed girl. Falling to the down girl's form and doing chest compressions on her. As she compressed her Jaune took stock of what was left of his forces.

Five boys and four girls were all that was left. The boys where shaking covered in blood the girls looked about to pass out from fear.  
Their comrades butchered into slim pieces in front of their very eyes as-

 _"Boss_. What's the play? We need to get the hell out of here!"  
Kage said his voice now hinted with an edge of panic while the girl compressed the downed ally.

"Jaune! This shit is not what I was paid to deal with! We need to get the hell out of here as soon as the ship touches down!"  
"I know Zach! We just-  
Jaune saw the girl vanish. The girl doing chest compressions suddenly vanished, the chest of her patient opened up as a gaping _maw_ appeared. A mouth appeared in her chest opening wide as a car door. Swallowing half of the girl crunching half of her body and-  
 _"FUCK!"_

The thing died in a hail of bullets and plasma as-  
"Kill them! This thing won't infect men, so we just have to kill the girls!" We can _not_ let this thing get out of here!"  
Zach shouted aiming his guns at the woman as Jaune froze.

"Hold! No one kills anyone!"  
"Jaune! They are _threats_! We need to kill them"!  
"I'm not infected!"  
Clar said her fox ears fluttering as-

"That's _just_ what an infected would say!"

Zach shouted as the girl growled.  
"When would I get infected?! I was with Jaune the whole time!"  
"When did _she_ get infected?! She was part of my group! _My_ fucking group! If it could get past me, it could be in any one of you! _Espically_ blondie over here! He can't even tell when a girl wants to break his dick!"

"I'm not infected!"

"I don't want to take that chance!"  
"I-  
"Quiet! Everyone! Alica. Is there any way you can find out in one of us infected?"  
"I... Yes... I believe I can run a test. I will just need some _blood._ "

* * *

"Alright. Let's start with _you."_  
Jaune said sternly as he took his power sword and placed it over his glowing plasma gun. The weapon superheating the metal turning it bright red as he looked forward. The girls or what was left of them were all tied to several chairs that had been gathered for them to be _tested_. Thick plastic wires wrapped around them as Kage, Zach and the five males held rifles on them.

Alicia said that whatever this virus was it would take self-preservation at heart. If they damaged even a trace of it then maybe it would _react?_  
And would act in some kind of retaliatory manner that would alert them to its presence. That was the theory at least as Jaune stabbed into the petri dish of Carlisha's blood The blood _hissed_ and popped but nothing unusual. Causing a relieved breath to leave Jaune's mouth.

"She's clear."  
Jaune said as he nodded to his friends and Zach freed her.  
"Told you!"

Carlisha growled as Zach frowned.

"And? I'm not taking a risk. Get a gun."  
Zach said as the woman took her gun.  
 _"Next."_  
Jaune said as he tested the blood of Sarah. A girl who was shaking in her boots as she was clean.  
 _"Next."_  
Jaune said as Clara gave her a gun as the next dish as given.

"Ok, Mary? You are up."  
Jaune said poking the blood with his sword as it jumped. The blood leaped out of the dish, flying into the air and screaming like a small animal as it flew out of its bowl.  
 _"Kill her!"_

Zach yelled as Mary or what _looked_ like her burst free form her ropes tossing Carlisha and Zach to the side of the room with a practiced ease.  
"Shoot it!"  
Jaune yelled as the thing's mouth opened up, splitting itself in two as a long tongue like thing shot out. Wrapping itself around Sarah's head pulling her into its jaw and crunching her head like a grape.

 _"FUCK!"_  
Jaune yelled firing at the monster hitting it dead in its chest with a glowing ball of plasma. Noting how it had no aura. Not that it should surprise him. Initiation students didn't have theirs unlocked. As it burned, the monster ran at Jaune. Even with no upper torso, it still ran full speed at him.  
Jaune boy growled slashing out with his power sword taking off it's left arm and leg. Before firing into its chest.

Vaporizing it in a puff of blood and gore. As it fell, Jaune's blood froze as one of the severed arms got _up._ Its fingers shook and grew. Turning into long sickly scythes as twin eye stocks sporting bulbous eyes grew on them, as there was a _pop!_  
Of blood as a long sickle-like appendage shot out attached to a long thin rope of flesh that flickered out at him.  
"What the _fuck!?"_

Jaune hissed dodging the first lightning fast sickle strike. Ducking back barely avoiding it slashing his jugular as it flicked back at him, he turned parrying the other strike before firing on the monster vaporizing the limb in a shower of blood.

* * *

 _"Sir! The bullhead is here!"_  
Six yelled in his ear as Jaune sighed.  
"Everyone we are _leaving!_ Kage pick up the kids and come with me! Zach, you take Alica and bring back _Six with_ the students he is with!"  
"Got it!"  
The two yelled as they began to sprint as the _humans_ began to leave.

* * *

"Move it you little shits! We waisted enough time getting here! Now that _I_ am rescuing your sorry asses we are getting the fuck out of here!"  
"Sir yes, sir!"  
 _Six_ and his two guards yelled as they ran out-  
"Alica! I need your help shutting down the coms!"

Zach blurted taking the blonde by surprise as her milky robe flung in the air.  
"What?! _Why?!_ We need to get out of here!"

The woman complained as the boy ran to the control panel.

"If these things learn how to send out coms they might get help from another part of the word, or expose bastion! We got to shut it down!"

Zach said as Alica looked to argue only to nod her head once.

"I... ok! Just give me a second I don't know exactly how to operate these things!"  
Alicia said as Zach drew his gun.

"You _don't_ know how it works?"

"I mean I _do!_ I just need some time!"

"Hurry up, we don't _have_ time!"

"Ok! Give me some time! I was not in charge of this stuff!"  
"Really... Alica this facility was fully staffed last time I read about it, what happened to the other techs?"  
"They left and were killed!"  
Alica said as she began to fiddle with the various computers as Zach drew his gun.

"They _left?"_  
"Yeah! When the infection first started they left their posts to the town!"  
"They left their posts? Why."  
Zach said drawing a bead on her head.

"To get some air!"  
"Air... Right."  
Zach said as he pulled the trigger was what looked like Alicia slumped dead as he spat.

"Cogboy's wouldn't leave thier post unless it was burning down. Much less to get some _air_." He snarled as he ran away before _it_ could come back to life.

* * *

"Get on board! _NOW!"_

Jaune yelled as he pushed Carlsiha on the bullhead on the outskirts of the Mechanicus base. Kage yanked the knocked out Sarah on board as Zach sprinted out of the building alone.

"Where is Alicia!?"  
"She was infected all along!"  
 _"What?!"_

"Don't ask just get us the fuck out of here!"

Zach yelled as the ship took off as the bullhead pulled up Jaune saw figures bolting to it from the surrounding buildings none getting close enough as the vessel took off and-  
The town simply _ceased_ to exist a massive airstrike came in as a hail of firebombs slammed into it.  
"The hell!?"

Jaune shouted as the sound of roaring engines filled his ear as several aircraft roared.  
"I called in an air strike just like you said!"  
 _Six_ yelled from the front of the craft as Jaune nodded once as the town was blown apart by cleansing fire...

* * *

"And that concluded our report, sir."  
Jaune said bowing his head as Ludo nodded.  
"I see. Excellent work mister Arc! All of you! Well done!" The man said as Miss Heil nodded. The surviving members of the force were now back safely in Bastion, tired daze but alive. And all in a _desperate_ need of a shower.

"I am inclined to agree with my employer. For _once._ You all did well. No one could have expected another incident of... _that_ to be here. You are all to be rewarded on a job well done."

The woman said a rare smile on her thin razor lips as Ludo nodded.  
"Good! Now all of you take a break! Oh and Mister Arc tomorrow the leadership of the _Piercing lancers_ will meet with you! They are very impressed with your performance in the last mission!"  
"Thank you, sir."  
"No thank _you!_ Now all of you go, you have earned our break! Oh, but stay a moment Sarah. I need to talk to you!"  
The man said as Sarah was left behind as the blonde girl walked up to the man.

"Sir?"  
"I must say I have never met an extraterrestrial before! Tell me how are you liking life on our planet!"

Ludo asked sipping from his mug as the girl froze like a puppet with its strings cut.  
"I don't know what you mean. _Sir."_  
"Oh no more games child! Are you a child? I can't tell! _Xenophysiology_ was never my strong suit mind you!"  
"I am Sarah sir-  
"We tagged you biosignature when you landed. We know _what_ you are."  
Miss Heil said as _Sarah_ frowned.

* * *

"Finally!"

 _Sarah_ said as it escaped. It had _barely_ survived the humans that had trapped it in their office. _it_ was somehow able to avoid the dreaded fire attacks of the female along with the _eldritch_ powers of the male and now it was on the Bation front entrance. _Sarah_ or what had once been Sarah had not had an easy time assimilating her host. She had been passed on to her earlier on via a water bottle from her _original_ host. The one the human's had referred to as Alica.

Sarah was her contingency plan. In case she was unable to leave she had covertly infected one of the rescuers before the main attack on them had even begun, and now after escaping the humans in the leading roles, it was finally _free!_

"I made it!"  
 _It_ yelled falling to its knees as-  
A crunch was heard behind it as Sarah turned around where a girl wearing an assortment of furs and pelts with pale skin and sharp green eyes smiled at her.  
 _"Sister?_ I-

 _Sarah_ never finished that sentence as a roar of flame came out form Mika's weapon lashing out covering her body in a moment as it consumed her. Sarah or what _looke_ d like her screamed for a second as Mika's flames devoured her as she _smiled._

"Sorry about that _Sis!_ But there's only room for one of **me** on this planet!"  
Mika said happily as-  
 _"Is it done?_ "  
Ludo asked in her scroll as she smiled.

"It's taken care of."

The _girl_ said as she burned her sibling maybe a cousin? To a crisp.

 _"Good work Mika. I am glad I can continue to count on you for more matters concerning this incident."_  
The _human_ said as Mika smiled.  
"No problem sir! I like this planet **just** how it is!"

Mika said her voice taking on a low undulating tone as the man smirked.

 _"I'm glad to hear that. Your team is back, by the way, you should go see them."_  
" _Okie Dokey!"_

She said as she hung up her scroll as a rare frown crossed her face.  
"I'm not letting any **other** thing take this world. This planet is **my** property. Not **_ours."_**  
Mika snarled before walking away from her flaming sibling letting her burn...

* * *

 _"Kage!_ ~ _Mister boss man~!_ You guys came back!"  
Mika said happily to her tired teammates who practically fell into the room. Both tired covered in blood and soot as Kage moaned as he slipped to his bed and groaned.  
"I want to _die..."_  
Kage grumbled as Jaune sighed.  
"Mika? Where is Ruby?"

Jaune asked rubbing his temples wanting nothing more than a hot shower.  
"Don't know! I haven't seen her in over a _day!"_

Mika said happily as Jaune paused as Kage went still almost _crying_ as he lifted his face up.  
"What do you mean you have not seen her in a _day!?_ Where-

"I think she went to spend the night with Hino in her dorm. They had a girls night I think."  
Mika clarified as all the tension left Jaune's body.  
"Oh think Oum I-  
 _"What?!_ She spent the night in Hino's dorm?!"

Kage yelled suddenly on his feet guns drawn all notions of tiredness gone and a terrified look on his face.  
"Yeah why-  
"Jaune Ruby is in _danger._ We need to run now"!  
Kage yelled as Jaune was already sprinting out of the door.

"By Kage! By ~Boss man~! If you find Ruby bring back ok?"

* * *

 **An: Well there we go! The _boys_ are back in town! Everyone is... well _some_ of the _Piercing Lancers_ made it back alive! The infection is contained! We have a _hint_ at Mika's family! And the story goes on! The next chapter _spoiler!_ Ruby is in _deep_! She has made a rather _poor_ life choice and we get to see her go through her meeting with a new _friend..._ Besides that with my _personal_ pet arc out of the way the story kicks off! Now we get to see team ARKM messing around with the _world_ of Remnant!**

 **As the _Piercing Lancers_ make _extensive_ use of their new _tools_! And we get to see just how much trouble Jaune can his friends into and _out_ of as the _first!_ Pillar comes to a close! As always Game on is next! When we get introduced to _Cinder_ and boi! Is she a character! That story will _probably_ be up Thursday so until then? Thanks for reading and as always _Omake._**

 ** _PS._ I got two new stories up! One a fic about Jaune being raised by Qrow! And how Qrow is _not_ a model parent by any standard! Another is a Yandere Harem with Jaune forgetting the _KEY_ rule when you buy an item Always read directions! If those sound like something you would like go check them out in my profile! And now Omake.**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant** part nineteen. _ **Debrief.**_  
This was nice...  
"Tea commissar?"  
"Thank you, Ren."  
Jaune said as he smiled warmly. His aide gave him a nice steaming bowl of Tanna and the commissar needed it. After his foray into the ruins? Jaune was looking to do nothing but relax sit back and enjoy what little was left of his life. Something that Jaune was doing more and more of as he sat back into his chair and-  
"And then we will go back into the sewers!"

Pyrrha said as Jaune wanted to but a lasbolt right into her forehead. As the green eyes beauty that seemed determined to get Jaune into a bed and a coffin. In no particular order. As the woman smiled beatifically at him. "

So commissar when we do return to the ruins to weed out the gene stealer I can only assume you will want to lead from the front?"  
Jaune needed to think. He had to be careful, or his ass would be on the front line away from his soft, comfy chair. And his Tanna and Amesac. Something he did not want to happen.

"I would love to lead but-  
"But nothing! You survived almost all alone from the gene stealers, and you led our faunus... contact out with grace!"  
Pyrrha said a crooked smile on her face as Jaune gulped-  
"You really know your way with woman sir. Hell, I thought she was going to jump your bones then and there. The way she was looking at you?"  
Mercury said behind Jaune his personal sniper sipping a shot of liquor as Pyrrha _growled._

"Thank you for your observations _Black!_ Very astute! And _very_ unnecessary."  
Pyrrha added under her breath as Jaune sighed.  
 _"Black."_  
"Sorry! Just calling it how I see it. Hell, the only other woman I've seen look like shants it so bad is the one over here. She hasn't kept her eyes off my crotch since I met her. Not that I blame her.'  
"I did not!  
"Did to."  
"Did not!"  
'You want me."  
"Dead."  
"Ouch. Is that what we are going to put on our wedding vows?"  
"You mean your _epitaph?"_

"Black. Don't antagonize her. We don't need our allies trying to kill us."

"Hey don't be jealous sir, the inquisitor wants you."  
"What!?"  
Pyrrha said flushing wildly as Jaune sighed. If the Grimm did not kill him Jaune knew his allies would surely finish the job...


	37. Pillar one Fear the badge

**AN: Here we go! Out boys are in the town so we get to see what the girls got up to over ther time alone! Here we get to see a rare moment of a Ruby Mink debate. And for the _first_ time in this story, Mika has the _moral_ high ground above Ruby?! I know! We also get a _brand_ new OC who is going to be a _main_ part of the story so I hope you like them! All this and more int his new chapter of Bastion!**

* * *

"Do you think they will be home soon? I miss Jaune and Kage."  
Ruby asked sitting on her impossibly soft Bastion bed. The mattress eating her body as she sank into her silken velvety satin sheets.

"Jaune will be here _any_ second Ruby! He and Kage are only gone for two days, and it's been one already! They will be back in no time! You have the official Mika Smith guarantee of that!"  
Ruby's friend said happily kicking her long pale legs up in the air. Mika said on her bed face first reading a book that Ruby didn't know she had. She was guessing it was Kage's but she didn't know for sure. It had been over a day since they left and Ruby was getting worried about what was going to happen to Jaune and Kage on thier solo quest.

 **"Irrelevant. Kage would not object to her invasion of privacy."**  
 _"I know, I just am reminded of my old friends Ren and Nora. They kind of had a Mika Kage relationship you know?"_  
 **"No, I do not. I don't know these two what are they like?"**  
Her, eye asked zooming in on the lightly humming girl who was reading a rather interesting book. About a man in the future who was a leader of men. A supposed hero but was actually very scared and did his best to avoid combat while trying to be a hero.  
It seemed like a good book.  
 _"They were best friends, they were always together but not together, together."_  
 **"Not _together-together?_ What does that mean?"**  
 _"I don't think they know."_  
 **"That does not sound efficient. They are in love _yes_?" **  
_"Absolutely."_  
 **"Then why not share said love? The longer the wait the more chances they have of there love not coming to fruition."**  
 _"That's one way of looking at it."_

The girl admitted giving her eye a point as at whirred in a smug manner.

 **"Also they are mortal. They will die someday, why not make the most of now?"**  
 _"Becuase humans don't make sense."_  
 **"I can see."**  
Her eyes said as Ruby sighed as a grumbling appeared in her stomach.

"I'm going to go eat. You want something?"  
Ruby asked her friend who scratched her ear and shook her head.  
"Nah I'm good Rubes! I'm busy ready Kage's books!"

Mika said as she flipped through the same book about the cowardly hero from earlier.  
"Don't you think you should ask Kage about reading his books before you do?"

Ruby asked in a playful tone as Mika wave her off with a thin fur-covered hand.

 _"Nah!_ Even if I did and he said no I'd read them anyway!"  
"I see... Well, I'm off! I'll be back later on!"  
"Alright, Ruby! Have fun!"  
The girl in furs said as her eye zoomed in on her.

 **"Ruby she is not a regular human."**  
 _"I know but that's not a problem right?"_

 **"I don't know. We should press for information."**  
 _"I don't think we should this is her privacy."_  
 **"She is our teammate. We need to know as much as we can about her."**

 _"I don't know about this Eyey."_  
 **"Ruby we need to survive. Jaune is counting on us. If we do not know the most about our allies as well as our enemies. Ask her."**  
"Hey, Mika!"  
"Yes, friend Ruby? I thought you were going to eat? Are you not hungry? OH! Do you want to talk about boys and paint our nails? I'd love to do that! Although we'd only talk about two boys though. But it could still be fun!"

The young woman said her emerald eyes lighting up with interest as she put down Kage's book and fixed Ruby with an interested gaze.  
"Um... maybe later I was just wondering..."  
"Yes, friend Ruby? Go on! You can ask me _anything!"_

"Since we are friends! Would you like to talk?"  
"About?"  
"I don't know! Is there anything that you haven't told me yet? Something that would deepen our relationship?"  
Ruby asked as her eye flashed a large script in front of her face, as it gave her her words.  
"You want to know more about _me?"_

"Yeah! We are _best_ friends, right? We should know more about each other!"  
Ruby said giggling as Mika cocked her face at her. Resting her head on her shoulder and smiling in an off-kilter manner that made Ruby sweat. "What do you want to know?"  
"Huh?"  
"You asked about me, what do you want to know friend?"  
Mika asked her eyes screwed shut and her face smiling widely.  
"Um! Where did you come from?"  
"I came from _Vacuo."_  
"Where were you born?"  
 _"Vacuo."_  
"How old are you?"  
"Eighteen years."  
"How did you meet Kage?"  
"We met in Vacuo he swept me off my feet and made love to me under the starry summer sky!"

Mika said as Ruby blushed widely coughing and stuttering as she nearly lost her balance.  
"Um! How did you get into Bastion?"  
 _"~Secret!~"_

Mika said humming her response to her friend as Ruby's eye zoomed in on her.  
"You are a _punishment rehabilitation_ student. So that means in addition to your crim you also have a mental issue?"

"That's a personal question now isn't it?"  
Mika asked a hand falling to her teal green flame throw, _Chamberlain._

"We are friends, best friends. We don't need secrets now do we?"  
"Well then let me ask _you_ a question."  
Ruby blinked her eye whirring as she nodded.

"Ok go on."  
"Why are you here?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Why are you here in Bastion? You killed a prince why did you do that?"  
"He was dying he was bleeding out on the ground. I needed to save him."  
"Save him? Why was he bleeding out?"  
"He... he was attacked by Grimm..."  
"Grimm? In the _palace?!_ How did that happen?"

"No... not in the palace he was in the dunes."  
"A prince in the dunes? How did that happen? What was he even out of the castle in the first place?"  
Mika asked her voice silken and smooth. Her face turned up in a perfect smile that sent shivers down Ruby's spine as she let her mouth flap out as she gulped.  
"I... I took him out of the palace."  
" _I?_ You said I, that means Jaune didn't do it."  
"He didn't! He was innocent!"  
Ruby shouted making Mika's grin grow.

"But he was punished too, why is that?"  
"He... he would not say anything against me."  
 _"Wait!_ So Jaune is innocent and you are the guilty one! You are the one who should be in Bastion and not Jaune! You got him put in here then! Is that right _friend_ Ruby? Did you get Jaune tossed in Bastion?"

Mika asked as Rubys breathing grew haggard as she balled up her fists.  
"That's not _true!"_  
"Then what happened?"  
"The prince wanted to see the outside! I was just going to take him out to see the dessert!"  
"So you took him away from the palace?"  
"Yes!"  
"And Jaune agreed?"  
"N- no... He didn't want to go he argued that we should stay."  
"And you _dragged_ him? You _forced_ him?"  
"NO! He came because he believed in me!"  
"And that got him jailed with you. He is in bastion suffering not because he did anything wrong but because his so-called _best_ friend was selfish. You didn't listen to Jaune and now he's here."  
"That's not true!"  
"Then what happened? Without you, Jaune would not be in here correct?"  
"I..."  
 _"Correct?"_  
"He could have still ended up here!"

"Oh, Ruby... relativity is a _wonderful_ thing is it not?"  
"Hey!"  
"You are selfish Jaune suffered and everything that happens to him from now until he gets back to Beacon and maybe even a bit beyond is _your_ fault. Every scar every cut every bruise he receives is because of you. And hell! It doesn't even stop at the physical! Just _think_ about the emotional trauma you put him under!"

"The emotional trauma?"  
"Duh! The psychological stress of being at Bastion! Being under _constant_ threat of death. Having everyone you know thinking you are dead. For all intents of purposes being dead! His family thinks he is dead! His friends think he is dead! Can you imagine how that's affecting him? The killing, the murder the pain! That's going to leave a mark on Jaune's life _far_ after he leaves Bastion."  
"But he's not suffering! He's strong!"

"Is he? Or is he just pushing? He could be forcing it, making himself be strong for you. You know he does _everything_ for you, Ruby. He takes every hit, every risk he will _die_ before he allows something to happen to you. You are going to kill you lover Ruby."  
"I won't!"  
"Hey even if he _does_ live past Bastion what's to say the stress won't be too much? I won't be surprised if after he lives _assuming_ he lives and is not eaten shot to death or stabbed repeatedly in the back. I would not be surprised if Jaune takes his gun once he knows you are safe puts it to his head and kill himself. I think he'll commit suicide all because of _you."_

"I!"  
"You hurt your crush, Ruby. You cause him pain. You are not a good lover."  
 _"Shut up!"_  
"Why? You asked me questions why can't I ask a few back.'  
Mika eys nappe dope glaring at Ruby like glaring gaggers. Ruby eeped as she ground her teeth.  
"I didn't have a choice!"  
"To _not_ drag a price from a tower? How were your forced to do that?"

Mika asked flicking her head as an infuriating grin split her face.  
"He wanted to escape! He was kept in the damn palace like a prisoner in his own home!"  
"He was a prince, what did you expect?"

"He should be allowed to pick his own life!"  
"Really? Even when his own choices got him _killed?"_  
"I..."  
"Even when his choice almost got _Jaune_ killed? How do you think his team is doing?"  
"What?"  
"His team Juniper correct? How is Nora and Ren handling this? Are they taking the news of his death well? Are they crying themselves to sleep at night?"  
"I..."  
"What about his partner? Pyrrha? How is she taking the loss of her boyfriend." Mika said emphasis the words her, as Ruby face twisted into an ugly snarl as she balled her fists.

"Who cares about her?! Why would I care about the damn treacherous so call friend!?"  
"Oh? You don't like Pyrrha Ruby? Why is that?"  
"Becuase she's _not_ Jaune's friend!"  
"She didn't get him killed."  
Mika said as Ruby's mouth dropped ber face gapping as-

"Ruby. Are you _sure_ that your eye is not talking to you? If it is you should really get it taken _out."_  
Mika said sneering as her eye the zoomed in on her glaring balefully before Ruby sniffeled before blurring away in red roses as she left the Bastion dorm with a slam of the door.

* * *

 ** _"Why!?"_**  
Ruby thought biting into her Bastion chocolate chip cookies, tears falling from her face. Her usual sugary treat was now dipped in her salty tears and now her crisp milk. The young reaper sat along in the Bastion cafeteria not caring about the strange glares that found her crying form

Ruby was furious how could Mika say that!? She didn't mean to hurt Jaune! She didn't want him to get shot, stabbed and bruised! She just wanted to help! The prince was like a prisoner! He couldn't even leave his own room!

He deserved to be let out, he was a human, not a dog! Why didn't people understand that?! He just wanted to be free. He only wanted to be free, he was scared along and desperate. Ruby couldn't let him suffer. She was training to be a huntress and she would never ignore someone in danger. And he-  
 **"Was he in danger?"**  
Ruby thought as a frown appeared on her face as she began to quiver. "I... I didn't mean to... I didn't want this to happen to him!"  
Ruby thought her tears falling freely from her silver eye. Her mechanical one whirred in support as he bit into her cookies, the tasted like dirt and raisins. Her mouth was slow to chew, and she felt like she was eating putty and dust powered. Jaune was in Bastion because of her. He got hurt because of her. He suffers because of her.

"How..."

Ruby said weakly as she let her head fall.  
" **Ruby I do not believe this is your sole problem. Jaune knew the risks of saving your life. he did not have to vouch for you. I am sure that he would not want you to suffer as you are."**  
Her eye said as Ruby sniffeled.  
"But he got hurt for me."  
 **"He wanted to get hurt."**  
"He almost died for me!"  
" **He does that of his own volition. You are in mo more control of Jaune's actions than the moon's path in the sky."**  
"But everything that happened to him is my fault!"  
 **"You say that but listen. You did not _make_ him withhold his testimony. He gave you a chance at life and he accepted the consequences for doing so..."**

"He was being a good _friend!"_  
 **"Yes, and as a good friend, he was put through a difficult life. He is not dead, not yet. But he is with you and you him. You always wanted to be with him and now you are, what is the problem?"**  
"The problem is I don't want him to die!"  
 **"The you need to make sure he does not die. Simple as that."**

Her eye said as matter of fact as it ever was.  
"But what if he does? What if he dies and I'm left alone? I... I don't want to be alone..."  
 **"You are not alone. Should Jaune die an event in which we will do everything in our power to stop it. We will have Kage and Mika as friends. They might not be the most friendly humans but they are our friends. They will keep us safe until we return to Beacon in the unlikely case of Jaune's death."**

"I don't want him to die!"  
 **"Then don't _let_ him."**  
"You already said that!"  
 **"I mean it try to get stronger, find ways to protect him. If we can better ourselves then Jaune may not feel forced to save us. If we become strong today he will not have to be strong for us later on."**

" I need to train."  
"Did you say _train?"_  
A calm smooth voice that put Ruby's heart at ease said as the smell of fresh pork filled her nose.  
 _"Hino!?"_

"Hello Ruby, I see you are thinking of training again? Shall we go to the weight room?"

Hino asked the taller girl who was as Ruby would affectionately think of her as her _anti-Yang_ in the best way possible. The tall teen sat down with a steaming tray of pork chops and vegetables, along with a tall glass of milk.  
"How are you doing today Ruby? Your partner and teammates are no longer here, do you miss them?"  
Hino asked in her usual calm soothing tone that made Ruby heart go still with ease.  
"Yeah I miss Jaune and Kage but I know they will be back! Or I hope they are."

Ruby said looking down nervously while Hino gave a low chuckle her short dirty blonde hair shaking as she laughed.

"Fear not Ruby. Kage is strong and Jaune is capable. They will make it back in one piece after all you heard the statistics of there missions. There are no Grimm in the area and the town is Bastion _friendly._ There weren't even reports of a struggle at the site. There is little danger that they will be in danger." Hino said in her melodic tone that never failed to calm Ruby's nerves.

Ruby sighed letting out a tense breath that she had not realized that she had been holding. "Thanks, Hino, I didn't know what I would do without you."  
Ruby said smiling warmly at Hino her robotic eye extended out of her skull and winked.  
"It is no problem. Now, what is bothering you?"  
Hino asked with a look that Ruby knew from years with Yang as the I know you are hiding something now fess up.

"I... nothing is wrong Hino. I'm just tired! Yeah! I'm just tired you know?"  
"Does tiredness make you cry into your lunch? Or should I say your snack?"  
Hino smirked at the girl who didn't fight and sighed looking down at her cookies.  
"Ruby."  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
 _"Ruby..._ "  
"I don't want to talk about it!"  
Ruby pouted defiantly as Hino smirked.

"Ruby you can tell me or you can continue to pout. But you won't get another person to listen to you so steadily after I finish my lunch, now what is wrong? Why are you crying into your platter?"  
"I... Mika..."  
Ruby finally admitted the brown-skinned girl sighed heavily taking out a piece of her pork chop and putting it into her mouth chewing on is quietly on her white meat as she fixed Ruby with an inquisitive glance.  
"What did she do _this_ time?"  
Hino asked swallowing her meat with a glass of ice milk.

"She... she told me off."  
"Really? For what? I can hardly see what moral high ground she could have on you. What did she do?"

"She told me that everything was my fault."  
"What was your fault?"  
"Everything. Basion. The missions, the pain the injuries. Everything that ever happened to Jaune or me was my fault. And I was selfish in my actions."

"Were you _selfish?"_  
Hino asked in a natural tone fixing Ruby with a soft but firm glare that made the girl sigh.

"Yes. I was."

Ruby said finally admitting her own fault.  
"Then you deserved the comments."  
"I did..."

Ruby said wincing at the sharp words from her friend whose brown eyes had never once left her silver. Fixing her with a hard stare that refused to let her squirm away.

"Do you regret being selfish?"  
"More than anything."  
"Do you wish to make up for them?"  
"Yes."

Ruby said finally lifting her neck to her friend who grinned.  
"Then I will help."  
"Help? What will you do?"

"Simple I will make you _atone_ for your sins."  
"Attone for my sins?"  
"Yes, you have wronged Jaune no? You have at multiple occasions acted against his best interests and caused him harm unnecessarily, you not only realize this but you want to make it up to him?"

"Yes. I want to make it better."  
"Are you willing to do the work to make it better?"  
"I am."  
"Good, do not feel bad for your decisions. _All_ of us will fail sooner or later Ruby. Failure does not make you weak only human. The fault in life lies not in the failing of our tasks but in the inability to realize our own failures and improve on them to the best of our abilities."

"What do you mean?"  
"I mean you do not need to feel bad for hurting Jaune even if you do not know how you hurt him. You hurt Jaune but you are not beyond the power to make it up to him.'  
Hino said smiling warmly as she put a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder. Gripping her shoulder gently the massive drill on her wrists pointing benignly to her face. The drill that had claimed unknown amount of lives was now still and no longer caked in blood and innards. The drills tip was now reassuringly polished to a bight bronze color to match the gauntlets.  
"You think I can make it up?"

"I do not know, that is not up to me. Your actions are not fully known to me more is Jaune's opinion on them. I do not know how Jaune feels about this action. If he does not see a need to make it up then you might not even need to."

"I have to! He's gone through so much his team has gone through so much. I can't look them in the eyes if he dies. Not even _Pyrrha!"_  
Ruby almost snarled the name of her _least_ favorite human on Remnant.

"Pyrrha? Jaune's partner who you do not fancy?"  
"Yes her, I don't like her. She's a drag on him."  
"You have told me that but that is neither here nor there. I am asking you are you willing to make things up?"  
"I am."

"Are you willing to come with me? To go to a place that we can begin to make it up to him?"

"Where are we going?"  
Ruby asked standing up wiping her tears onto her cloak as Hino finished her steaming plate. Wiping her mouth with a napkin and putting all her trash on her now empty dining tray. "We are going to the one place in all of Bastion where one can make up thier past transgressions without graduation. We are going to _mass."_

* * *

"Go now my _children!_ Go and spread your words to the world and spread the light to the dark!"  
The pastor said in a low _booming_ voice as Ruby lifted her head. Her robotic eye zooming on the man paint him and the word red as she felt her knees flex on her wooden pew.  
"My the light walk with you all!"  
"And you as well."  
"May it guide your path!"  
"May you illumination forever _shine."_  
The mass recited on cue while Ruby smiled. She was feeling _much_ better now. Hino had taken her to the church of the light. The official church of Bastion as the mainly faunus mass began to file out Hino smiled standing up and yawning loudly her massive chest that made Ruby blush sticking out of her tight chest armor, Dyed crimson in the same style of Kage's old armor. Felica said that she would have fresh armor for Kage as soon as he got home. Ruby was happy about that.

Kage needed his armor like Jaune needed a blade. She needed her team to have there weapons and armor. Ruby was grateful that she was gifted armor by Felica. Her new clothes were now able to withstand multiple bullet impacts without taking any real damage. It had a complex kinetic dispersion field woven into its folds that made it much easier for Ruby to take hits without being harmed. And even if her aura failed her again her now outfit would provide a whole new level of protection.

That along with her affectionately named Shoozi. Rested comfortably in her lap. The large blocky pistol that could take down a deathstalker in close range. The gun was a great comfort in Ruby's life in her new school. With the horrid reality revealed that Crescent Rose was not, in fact, a perfect weapon like Ruby had like to think. It coudl not do well in close quarters, and it had forced her to adapt.

Now Ruby had her _Shoozi_ along with a blade in her right arm. The weapon had not been used by Ruby and she hoped that it would not be.  
The blade had to break out of her skin so to speak. The skin on her right arm was no longer her own. It was a synthetic polymer hybrid that made for a convincing rouse but was an ultimate imposter for real human skin.

The good news about that was that not only did it give her an increased damage threshold on the arm in question she also did not feel pain when the blade popped out her bone that was now also metal. Most of her body was metal really. Ruby had lost too much flesh and now she was more machine that person.  
 **"Am I a _human?"_**  
Ruby thought a trickle of fear running down her spine as she gripped her hands tightly. Her worries came back as one, they crashed upon her skull like a tidal wave. Am I human? The worlds hit her mind over and over beating at her skull like a drum. Am I human? Ruby thought as she looked into her arms. When she left Beacon she was human through and through. Human eyes heart organs and skin but now? The _majority_ of her biological parts were missing and _replaced_ with cold _metal, tubes,_ and _gears._

She was _not_ the same Ruby Rose she was when she left Beacon. Personality aside she was _physically_ different. She was not Ruby... Ruby was a human... She... she was something else... She was a mix match of metal and flesh, blood, and lubricants.

 _"What am I?"_

The girl whispered in a low tone, am I still Yang's sister? Can I be? I've changed so much will she even want me? Will, she think I'm a freak and kick me out!? NO! I don't want that! I want her to love me! What about Weiss!? She's always been about appearances if she sees me like... like this will she even want me as a partner? Will Blake want to be on a team with me after I've killed so many fang? Will she hate me for butchering her people?

" _Will mom even love me? I'm not her baby girl, her rosebed... I... I'm different..."_

Ruby thought her shoulders falling as tears began to form in her eye.

"Come Ruby we must talk to the _word bearer."_  
Hino said smoothly as Ruby felt her doubts _melt_ away in a soothing flame Hino reached down to the girl dragging Ruby to the front of the church where the mouse faunus Erebus was waiting for them.  
 _"Hino! Ruby!_ It has been too long since I have seen you both! My children what can I do for you?"  
Erebus asked his white mouse ears flickering in anticipation as he looked at his children.

"Father Ruby is here to ask for forgiveness, she has wronged her partner and she wished to make up for that."  
Hino explained as Erebus nodded. The tall mouse faunus nodding his head the long white robe that he always wore draped over his body along with his custom staff that Ruby had never seen him without.

"My child is this true? Have you wronged _our_ prophet?"  
Erebus asked his grey eyes flashing with power as rub gulped as the familiar burning sensation entered her body as he mouth went dry.  
"Yes, father I have. I have put my partner at risk when I should not have." Ruby said falling to her knees her body heating up as a thick layer of sweat covered her body.  
"I see. Do you seek forgiveness?"  
"Yes, father."  
"Do you know how to seek forgiveness child?"  
"No, I do not."  
"Do you know fo the scriptures of the light my child?"  
"No father."  
"I see, that is of no fault of your own my child. Hino?"

The man asked as Ruby's face _leaked_ water. The girl panting like a dog as his scepter _glowed_ yellow.

"Yes, father."  
"Take young Ruby away, _make_ her know the scriptures and make sure she knows how to properly react in the world Do this and she will learn how to atone. "  
"I shall father, I will teach her all that I know."  
"Good. Now, Ruby, you have wronged not only our prophet but your partner. This does not mean that you are beyond help. Learn from Hino's teaching do not let them fall by the wayside. You can still save yourself do not fall into the darkness like so many others have my child."  
Erebus said in a warning tone knocking his sta to the cold cement floor the Bastion churches stage making Ruby snap to attention.

"Yes, sir! I will listen to whatever Hino tells me, sir!"  
"Good child. Hino tell her all you know, make sure Ruby knows that hard work is always related."  
"Yes, or say I will do this right away."  
"Good now both of you go you have served the light well with your presence and me wight nothing but the best for you. May the light guide your partner."  
"And also yours."  
"May you illuminated him."  
"And may your path be forever bright."  
The two girls said before walking away leaving Erebus to his own devices and leaving the altar as one.

* * *

"Here. The _first_ rule of the light is as such. We are all creatures of the light. We come from it we are born from it and we will return to it. It is our savior and as such all lifeforms are also children of the light and we should do our best to avoid harming them."  
Hino said with Ruby near her lap the two girls looking over a book of the light. Hino was careful with a pained precision going the principle and the scriptures of the light to Ruby who absorbed the information like she was a living sponge.

"You should not seek to harm you fellow followers for they are also children of the light and when we butcher ourselves he has lost."  
Hino finished the first of the seven commandments of the light. Number one do no harm to you fellow children. They were just a lost and she was and they needed to be treated with sympathy.

"But what about when my fellows betray me? Or are my enemy? What about if the followers try to kill me?"  
Ruby asked Hino her silver eye wide with curiosity as the elder girl gave a short laugh.

"For that let us look to the second commandment, _power._ The path of the righteous man is beset on all side by the lies of the wicked. The heretic, the near do well. The false Shepard. You must guard yourselves against such voices. and stamp them out when possible."

"So I should not want to kill but I must be able to do so without hesitating?"  
"You _are_ learning! Now, this rule is for you. Number three _true mortal_. You are not perfect. You are not the light merely a _vessel_ for its divinity."  
"You will fail, you will triumph. You will be rocked up and down on the sea of live enduring hardship after hardship some natural some self-made."

"When faced with self-made hardships one must do three things to save themselves. One. They must acknowledge the role they played into the failure. You are not a perfect creature Ruby and the light knows this."  
Hino said rubbing the smaller girls head with her hand making her flush.  
"I'm not perfect."

Ruby stated as if coming to a world-altering conclusion as Hino smirked.  
"And you should not be. Once you have acknowledged your role in the problem you must now commit to not doing said problem again. For you, that was being selfish. You own selfish desires and wants came first and as a result, not only Jaune but your friends and families have _suffered_ greatly. Do you want your friends and family to suffer?"  
"NO! I just wanted to help."

"Good. Do you vow to not let them suffer anymore? Will you no longer act in such a selfish manner to your friends?"  
"I will not. I'm done acting selfishly."

Ruby said with grim finality her silver eye narrowing and her fake one whirring.  
"Good! Now, will you take steps to correct the problem? Apologize to Jaune and make sure that he is alive when you come back to Beacon?"  
"Yes. I vow to not let a single scratch fall to his head."

"Ruby the light values honesty above _all_ else. Do not make a commitment to it that you can not keep."  
Hino warned her brown eyes flickering in firmness as Ruby gulped.

"I will no longer do actions that will put Jaune in unnecessary danger, and to the best of my ability. I will also do everything in my power to defend him, Kage and Mika, while I am here."  
"Much better Ruby. You are a human do not act like you are some type of diety. You will make mistakes and that's ok! As long as you are willing to acknowledge them and fix them there is always hope for you. Not just as a Huntress or a member of the flock but as a friend, as my friend, I believe in you. I know you will make this better."  
Hino said smiling so brightly that Ruby felt her heart melt.  
"Thank you, Hino. I don't know what to say.'  
"Pray with me, my friend. Pray with me an accepted the light into your heart."  
Hino replied bowing her head as Ruby nodded dipping her head as the two began to chant...

* * *

"Is this your room?"  
Ruby asked stepping into Hino's team dorm for the first time.  
"Yes, it is me Zach and our leader sleep here. The other two are not here so we are alone. Please let me get my scroll then we can be off.'  
Hino said as Ruby smiled. Hino's dorm was the only other Bastion dorm she had ever been in and to her slight disappointment, it was just like her own. Bland grey walls carved out to the mountain, a dim fail with light at the top, a bathroom at the far side and-  
"That's new."  
Ruby thought as a bed was _missing._ It was gone...

Like the entire area where a bed should be was gone. A dark shadowy mass of something stood in its place. Completely obfuscating the area from Ruby's line of sight. It was like a large part of the room was simply _not_ like it had been ripped out of reality and _removed_ from the word. It was almost as-  
 _"OI_! The hell are you doing here Red!?"

A familiar voice said as a door opened and Ruby spun around where a pair of shaky black eyes locked on to her.

"Zach?"  
Rub asked as Zach came in ther room panting covered in blood, has black armor covered in gore and viscera hair a mess and looking pissed as all hell.  
"Why are you back so soon?"

Ruby asked the boy who groaned in exhaustion as he shut his door and walked inside.  
"Becuase our mission went to _hell!_ We all made it out ok but fuck towns! Hino! Why the hell is she in here?! What if _he_ comes back?!"  
Zach demanded as Hino came from her bed that Ruby could _barely_ tell was hers by a small amount of weapons oil and a drill kit strewn over her covers and a number of small furry objects that seemed to be slightly hidden behind the sheets.

"Zach _he_ is not here it is fine."  
"The hell it is! You want Red to get killed!?"  
"No, but _he i_ s not here."  
"That's not the point-  
" _Hello there.'_

A voice yelled making Ruby jump. At once Hino and Zach went ramrod straight there bodies becoming stiff as boards and there hands slamming to there sides as Ruby turned around. A pair of burning red eyes looked down on her as a boy stood in front of her. He was tall with snow-white hair, paper white skin, and bleeding red eyes.  
 _"He's an albino."_  
Ruby thought as the boy looked down on her. He was tall easily over six feet a bit taller than Jaune but shorter than Kage. He wore no armor instead he had a pair of dress khaki pants, a loose fitting white button up shirt that had its top buttons undone, revealing a pale chest. He had a single striped blue tie loosely fitted on his neck and a warm smiled on his face that made Ruby _want_ to trust him.

"My, who do we have here? Hino did you bright a guest over?"

The boy asked in an even tone a pale chalk-white hand coming up to his face as his bleeding red eyes locked onto Ruby.  
"Sir yes, _sir!"_  
Hino said snapping to attention her feet slamming together as a wave of sweat ran down her face.  
 **"Heartbeat increased. She is _terrified."_**  
Her eyes said as she looked at the boy.

"And you didn't tell me? How can I _fully_ invite our guest into our dorm if I do not know they are coming? That _was_ not very thoughtful of you was it?"  
"Sir no, sir! I apologize for this."

"Good. Now Zach?"  
"Sir yes, _sir!"_

"What were you saying about Ruby? Why shouldn't she be in here if I am? Is there a problem with me being in here with her?"  
The boy asked his tone calm and neutral as even as a summer breeze. His voice somehow carried no inflection of any other emotion but mild amusement.  
His posture was laid back and slack. He hand both of his hands dug firmly into his pants pockets and had an easy going nature about himself that put Ruby at ease.

 _"It's like he's totally cool with the world."_  
 _"Why are they so scared of him?"_  
Ruby thoguht as Zach and Hino trembled.  
 **"Be on your guard Ruby he-**

"Zach? I asked you a question."  
The boy said with a hint of steel in his tone as his bleeding red eyes narrowed only the slight of degrees as Ruby felt a shiver of pure dread run up her spine "Sir! I meant nothing by it, sir! I was just thinking that Ruby should be back in her own dorm sir!"

"Good! Now that you mention it is getting late. Ruby let us get you going! You must be tired I will _personally_ walk you back to your dorm. You can't have a young woman walking alone now can you?"

The boy asked his face bright and warm as he held out a pale hand to her.

 _"Where is his collar?"_

Ruby thought nothing that this boy despite being a Bastion student he had _no_ collar on his neck. It was barren and exposed, chalk white skin exposed to the air.

"No, you can not."  
Ruby replied instantly a please tone in her voice as-  
"Oh excuse me! My name is _Merrick_! The leader of this group of _ruffians!_ Please excuse my late introductions I was quite distracted by earlier matters today. You _will_ forgive my lack of etiquette."  
"I will forgive you."

Ruby replied without miss a beat at Merrick smiled.

"Good now let us be off."  
The boy said as he began to walk out Ruby took one last look at Hino and Zach who looked like they had seen the devil himself as Ruby shrugged her shoulders and followed Zach outside.

* * *

"Ruby tell me about yourself."  
Merrick asked as he began walking Ruby down the long barren halls of Bastion.  
"What do you want to know?"  
 _"Everything.'_

"My name is Ruby Rose. I am seventeen years old. I was born on Patch to Summer Rose and Tai Yang Xiao-Long. My older half-sister is called Yang. I was a student at Beacon but after killing the fifth crown prince of Vacuo I am now a Bastion student."  
"Did you say you killed the _fifth_ crown prince of Vacuo?"  
"Yes."  
Ruby said as Merrick took out a notepad, a physical one, not a scroll alogn with a pen and began to jot words down.  
 _"Fascinating_. Go on, what weapon do you use?"

"A high impact sniper rifle scythe hybrid it is called Crescent Rose. I also have a combination of shotgun and uzi. I call it a Shoozi."  
"Good, and who is your partner?"  
"Jaune Arc. He is my best friend and lover hopefully. I want to confess my feelings for him."  
"What weapons does he use?"

Merric asked jotting down notes in his pad while Ruby spoke about her love.  
"He uses a plasma pistol, force sword, and a power fist."  
"What are his weaknesses?"  
"He is prone to be emotional at times. His weapons lack spread damage. He is excellent at killing targets individually but if he is surrounded or attacked at long range he lacks an appropriate countermeasure."  
"I see very interesting. Now you other teammates? Names, weapons weaknesses."

"Venke Kage. He uses twin massive bolt pistols. They are devastating single shot weapons capable of killing most with one hit. But they are not good for swarms. If he was ever faced with a mass of fewer enemies he will be overwhelmed and dragged down."  
"Sounds like a big weakness."  
"He makes up for it with his partner Mika Smith. Her weapon is a flamethrower capable of massive are of denial suppressions. If they work in tandem they cover the other's weaknesses and are almost unstoppable."

"Relying on other's is not a weakness but it is an important thing to be aware of. Now you, what is your weakness?"  
"My main gun is no good in close quarters. My sidearm is brutal up close but after ten yards has no accuracy."  
"Good. That's all I needed to hear. You may stop."  
Merrick said as Ruby shook her head. Where was she? Why did she just tell him those things?!  
"Ruby, do you know who I am?

"No..."

Ruby said her pulse rising, her heart began to beat. She just sold out her team!? Valuable secrets to who!? This Merrick guy-  
"I did not introduce myself properly but let me say this."  
The boy said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a slim black object flipping it open to reveal a golden shield and a Bastion symbol embroidered on it.

"My mane is _Merrick, Castellian, Gerhard._ Bastion _internal affairs_ and you Ruby Rose, you are _under arrest."_

* * *

 **AN: Who! Five-oh! Uh oh! Ruby finally got the attention of someone she should _not_ have! We met Hino and Zach's leader and he is part of the Bastion police! They have cops!? Well, they got to keep order somehow right? Well, what's Ruby going to do now that she is under arrest? What will happen with Ruby and Mika's relationship? You'll just have to see! The story is gearing up for the pillar one finale! **

**Well, this chapter is done! Next on the radar is Game on! That should be up Thursday Friday so thanks for reading and as always _omake._**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant part 20._ _The breach_**

"It is a pleasure to see you, commissar. I didn't think we would be reunited so soon and I must say I am quite surprised and _enticed_ to see you again."  
The rich accented voice of Sieena Khan said the tiger faunus was nearly completely covered in her tan combat armor her pulse rifle in hand as she gave Jaune a predatory glare that made shiver.

"It is good to see you as well. Let's hope that we do not have to deal with a hoard of genestealers this time, wouldn't want to be trapped alone together now would we?"  
"I wouldn't mind being alone in a dark tunnel with you."  
Sieena said taking her armored hand allower her claws to spring fort and _gently_ scratch his arm making Jaune shudder.

"That is more than enough _Sieena_. The commissar is not here to be your _scratching post.'_  
Pyrrha said her inquisitorial I embroidered boldly on her chest. The inquisitor was not happy that some faunus woman was touching Jaune.

"Pyrrha, you don't need to glare."  
"Oh, I think I _do_ Sieena. You are being very _aggressive_ to an imperial citizen and it is my duty to keep Jaune free from _corruption."_

"Commissar, you don't mind a bit of _personal_ touch do you?"  
Sieena asked wrapping her arm around Jaune and smirking at Pyrrha making Jaune's breath hitched as he felt like he was close to death.

"Remove your arms from the commissar or I shall remove them for you."  
"You can try."

"Why-

"OK! We have Grimm to kill! Let's not start with each other! Sieena you will need both of your arms to fight, so I must ask for mine back."  
"You are no fun. I guess I can always _wet_ my fangs on you later on.'

"I'll have to take a raincheck on that Sieena. The Grimm might make me a bit out of reach."  
Jaune said walking to the open sewer gate as five figures followed him.

"Commissar are we going in _first?"_  
Ren asked looking as calm as ever his typical phlegmatic tone that he always had front and center as he checked his hell pistols.

"Yes Ren, we have a reputation to uphold and I need to do my part as a commissar!"  
 _"Unfortunately."_

Jaune thought to himself as his other figures came in.

"I don't see why we have to go first. I mean I'm a sniper I should be in the back."  
"Black you are with me. You want to avoid the gallows right?"  
Jaune asked as Mercury shrugged like he didn't care either way. And to be fair he probably didn't. Even on deaths row, Mercury didn't seem to care in the slightest about life or anything besides shooting things in the head.

"As you say, boss. I'll just enjoy the view.'  
He said staring at the inquisitor's aide that harumphed loudly at him.

"Commissar! I must ask what we expect to encounter down here. What do you think we will run into?"  
Penny asked the young woman medic that was up for murder asked her medical kit strapped to her side and her las rifle clutched tightly in her hands.

"Gene stealers Penny. Expect lots of slashing wounds and if they have hybrids las and solid round wounds."

"I understand. I will prepare myself for that."

Penny said nodding her head and looking to her medkit that would most likely save one if not all of there lives before the day was over.

"Commissar sir, what do you think the Grimma re doing so far under the city?"  
Oscar asked the young man still green in his hears, gripping his Las rifle for dear life as he eyed the sewer gate with naked trepidation.

"They probably snuck in somehow. A guard was too lax or a situation was beyond control. Right now they are waiting to kill every living thing in the city and we are going to stop that."

Jaune said in his typical commissarial manner as Oscar frowned his olive green eyes falling down as he gulped.

"Calm down kid, don't worry about the Grimm. Even if they are down there in the numbers the commissar says I'll watch out for you."  
The massive woman Arslan said hefting her bulky auto cannon on one arm. The weapon usually required two men to operate at full efficiency but she held it in one arm as if it was a child's toy. The massive rotary canon held up high as a necklace of bullets hung around her neck pressing into her brown reddish skin as she yawned.

"We are going to go in there and kill everything that moves ok? I'll put down anything with more than two legs before they get close."  
"I want to _break_ there legs!"  
The... _enthusiastic_ soldier Falka Valkyrie said punching the air as she grinned at the tunnel entrance. the red-haired teal eyes woman who for some _unexplainable_ reason fallen in love with his second said walking by Ren making him look at her with equal parts confusion _and_ uncertainty.

While Ren's rather... pungent aroma kept most people a good five feet away even now that where not Jaune, who had built up an immunity to it. Falka's lack of sense of smell immunized her to Ren's aroma and she clung to him much to the young man distress and Jaune's amusement.

"Ok men, the Imperium is counting on us! We will not let Oum down!"  
Jaune said smiling in his best we are all going to get killed smile as he drew Crocea Moras the chain sword whirring as he led his men into the tunnel and what was more than likely their certain deaths...

Death as it so happened came fast.

 _VRT!_  
The sound of tearing flesh and cracking bones filled the air as Jaune sliced through the abdomen of a six-foot abomination. The gene stealer Grimm growled in anger its yellow eyes unique to its species burning with raw hate as its sis long arms reached out to grip Jaune in an attempt to eviscerate him before blood loss and the lack of a functional spine gave way and the monster thankfully fell dead with a reassuring _thud_ to the dirty cavern floor.

Jaune wasted no time as even more leering yellow eyes came at him. Jaune spun firing twice, twin las shots hitting the Grimm in the head, killing them both in amount as-

"Down!"  
Mercury shouted Jaune hit the floor on instinct as a loud _crack_ filled the air. Something wet popped and Jaunes' back was covered in something hot and red as a large object thumped to the floor behind him.

"Thanks!"  
"I'm just doing my job sir."  
Mercury said dutifully a small smirk on his face, the boys grey eyes narrowed one in his scope the other shut as he took aim on the battlefield before firing again.  
All around Jaune was war, the investigation team had found the genes stealer nest deep underground and had engaged.

"On your left!"  
"Got it!"  
Oscar yelled turning his Las rifle to the left mowing down three Grimm with a full auto burst of red aimed wildly cutting monsters down in half, with a flurry of red lights, half of them going wild and hitting nothing but dirt and air.

"Watch your fire! We don't have infinite ammo!"  
Jaune chided as Oscar flushed. He was kneeling my Mercy along with Penny. The woman he thought Oscar had a crush on were providing covering fire for Mercy in the large cavernous area where the Grimm had made their nest.

 _Thud! Thud! Thud!_  
The heavy staccato of automatic gunfire filled the air as Astral fired into the Grimm. Her auto cannon creating bowling ball sized holes in there chest as she laughed.

 _"Hah!_ Come on six-eyed you shits! Coma and get a taste of a _real_ woman!"  
Arslan yelled firing single-handedly into the Grimm.

"HAH! I did it! I broke its legs!"  
"Technically you _cut_ them. That is more of a slice."

Ren said as Nora took her bayonet cutting off the leg of a Grimm as Ren vaporized its face. He and Falka made a good pair in the field Jaune would make sure to keep them together from now on. So would the rest of his now official unofficial _command squad_.  
Jaune was never a fan of the command squad. It seemed to create favorites among the soldiers and that was not a good thing. Jaune needed to see and be seen as looking at all soldiers as equals. He needed to be able to kill anyone of them at a moments notice and being friends makes that decision harder.

'Jaune! We have the patriarch!'

Pyrrha yelled her blue energy pistol flashed vaporizing a Grimm in half as it stumbled down the dirt twitching violently in a steaming pile of flesh and limbs. Falling dead on its limbs. Pyrrha had found the location of the Grimm leader and-

"There!"

A voice shouted in his come bead as Sieena came in. Her and her own faunus forces had been charged with harrying the Grimm monster. Allowing them to finally kill it and the infestation once and or all. Hoepull with none or as few of them dying as humanly possible.

A pleasured reality that would-

Jaune saw it, the monstrous black form of the patriarch was chased into the area by a flurry of blue bolts from Sieena's _pathfinders_. The massive two-legged multi-armed familiar-

"Govenor?"  
Jaune asked mouth agape as the snarling bestial but _definitely_ human face of the _former_ governor Port looked up at his as Juane paused swallowed took aim and _fired_.


	38. Pillar one center mass

**AN: Here we go! Another day another chapter of Bastion! In this, we have the introduction of a brand new _OC!_ Who _will_ be a major character in the story and a _friend_ of Jaune and Ruby! Let's see how this new _relationship_ play's out and as always! Thanks for reading and _enjoy_...**

* * *

"Under _arrest!?"_  
Ruby balked her mechanical eye shooting forward in disbelief as it stared at the albino police office!? Who was holding out a bright gold badge with the words Bastion _I.A._ on it.

"That's what I said, Ruby Rose, you are under _arrest.'_

Merrick said calmly as he put away his badge adjusting the bright light over his head, the girl Ruby was trembling sitting own on a hard metal table her fists chained together in a bright pair of silver cuffs, her bright silver eyes wide with panic as she looked nothing more than a frightened mouse in the face of an alpha predator.

 _"Good."_

The boy thought pulling out a small crimson book and lazily flipping through the pages as Ruby soaked in her own sweat in the dull Bastion interrogation room

"What did I do!?"

Ruby asked her arms covered in sweat and her normal knees shaking with fear.

"What did you do? What didn't you do? Now _, this_ is the real question."

Merric said in his calm, neutral tone that carried with an air o a calm, disinterested tone like he was above the girl in front of him.

"What did I do!? I'm _innocent!"_

Ruby shouted her eye wide with fear as Merrick tisked.  
"Innocent? Oh no Ruby Rose you are far from innocent in fact you are _very_ guilty."

"Guilt!? Guilty of what!?

"You are guilty of _treason."_

Merrick said his blood orbs glaring at Ruby who went rigid. Her small from went stiff as iron as her mouth dropped in a comical _O_ shape.

 _"Treason!?_ How did I do that?!"

"Well let's see."

Merrick said in his calm tone that reminded Ruby of a summer breeze; the boy slipped through his book as he turned to a page of his book.  
"There! You have a membership request with the _Piercing lancers_ correct?"

The boy asked in a tone that spoke of a man who already knew all the answers Ruby would say as she nodded weakly.  
"Yes? Why?"

"Well then pray tell why do you also have a confirmed membership with the followers of the light and the Mechanicus?"

"I... Is that a problem?"  
"Is that a problem? Ruby, you can't join more than one faction! That's treason."

Merrick said closing his book with a solid thud.

"You have committed treason against Bastion Ruby Rose."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

"Ruby! Ruby! Don't be upset, I know this was a, and I won't be too harsh on you. I'll give you the minimal punishment for treason ok?"

Merrick said putting on a friendly smile that made Ruby's hear go still.

"Thank you! Thank you, you won't regret this-

"Your punishment is death."

Merrick said without pause making Ruby still.

 _"Death!?"_

The reapers face went as pale as well death as Merrick nodded his head.

"That's what I said now is it not?"

Merrick asked without so much as a skipped beat as Ruby began to panic.

"But you said you would be lenient! You said that you would give me the lightest punishment!"

"I did, and I am, death is the _minimal_ punishment for treason, I'm treating you fairly gently in all of this you know? I could be far more... strict."  
Merrick said with a sharp tone as Ruby begna to fidget.

"Please! Don't do this! I don't want to die!"

"Whoever wants to die, Ruby? I mean don't we all want another second of life?"

Merrick asked a melancholic ring to his voice as he looked up wistfully into the dull Bastion interrogation room Ruby panicked.

"But you can't! You can't just kill me!' "I can actually, as a member of the lauded Bastion internal affairs I can dispense any amount o justice to any crime that I see fit. I am allowed to do anything I want with your... case. From letting you go all the way up to and not limited to execute you on the spot.'

Merrick said all levity vanished like ice on the sun while Ruby quaked.

"I don't want to die!"

Ruby shouted as Merrick frowned an annoyed look coming over his usually carefree gohst like features.

"We've been over that Ruby; nothing wants to die now let's get this over with. I'm assuming you don't want to sit her in fear while I go about how I'm going to kill you right? Let's get this show on the road now."

"Wait! You don't have to kill me! You said so yourself! You can overlook this!"

Ruby shouted a desperate tone in her voice as Merrick paused.

"I did and I can."

"Then why don't you!?"

"Why should I? Why would I let you live?"

Merrick asked as slick smile coming over his face as Ruby gulped.

"I can help you!"

"How?"

"I can! I can!"

"You can _stutter?"_

Merrick asked as Ruby fumed before chocking.

"How are you even going to kill me anyway!? Are you just going to shoot me? Stab me in my necks or something like that!?"

Ruby asked desperately buying time as Merricks' head rocked to the side as his mouth gained an offended look to it.

"What? No, Ruby, I'm not a barbarian, I'm just going to make your head pop."

Merrick said fishing out his scroll from his khaki pants and pushing a button. Instantly a low _beep!_ Filled the air as twin blue lights began flickering on her scroll. As Ruby looked down her breath leaving her collar as it began to beep steadily.

"You are going to detonate my collar!? You can do that?!"

"I can, all Bastion internal affair students are allowed to detonate _any_ other students collars at will. We need to be able to carry out our missions with impunity, and as such, I can detonate your collar for any reason."

"But! I can help you!"

"So you say, but so far you have yet to show a shred of evidence about how your so-called _help_ will manifest itself. Tell me Ruby as an officer of the law, why should I even consider helping you? What can you do for me to make this... worth my while?"

Merrick asked as Ruby went still her hands trembling as she moved them to her chest.  
"I have my body."

Ruby said shaking like a leaf and-

"What? Please, you are a _child_ and I am no monster. And besides, I have more refined taste in my love life. Besides, you have one too _many_ chromones for my taste. I prefer diversity in my lovers you know?"

Merrick asked a slightly exasperated tone in his voice as Ruby's face visibly lightened as she breathed easy for the first time in what felt like forever.

"I...-  
"You said you can do things for me, now besides your body... if you _can_ even call it that what can you do for me? And do be smart with your words. I am not one to be toyed with, and you do not want to waste my time."

"I can fight! I'm undefeated in the arena!"

Ruby shouted as Merrick paused a contemplative look coming over his face.

"That you are... the Red Reaper of Bastion is what you are called if I remember correctly. Your reputation does speak for itself now that I think about it."

"So you'll let me fight for you!?"

"Ruby, you should think about that offer before you make it. I mean you have no idea who or _what_ I could send you to fight against no?"

"Either way it beats just dying in a cell right?"

Ruby asked a low laugh in her throat as Merrick paused, his blood orbs inspecting her before a thing smile came over her face.

"That it does, that it does I suppose, but let's be honest. I need some rather... _specialized_ help with some rather complicated problems do you think you can do that for me?"

"I can! I know I can!"

"Cocky are we? You don't even know what my problems are and you want to help me get rid of them?"

"Like you said I suppose it beats dying in this chair right?"

Ruby asked as Merrick nodded a faint gohst of a smile on his thin, pale lips as he walked behind her.  
"True enough, but what if I asked you to kill people?"

"I would kill them."

Ruby said without a shred of hesitation as Merrick nodded.

"Really? What if the person was Jaune?"

"I'd never kill him!"

"Ruby I need a _tool_ , and a tool that won't follow my orders is not a tool at all."

"But he's my leader! If I kill him our whole team dies!"

"Hmmm, you do have a slight point there but don't worry I'm not going to kill Jaune."

"Thank Oum-

 _"Yet."_

Merrick said as Ruby felt her blood run cold as her fake eye zoomed in on him.

"Yet, what does yet mean?"  
Ruby asked growling as the man smiled.

"Simple. I know that threatening your life than sending in a toll that might do something a bit... heroic and overwhelmingly _stupid._ No Ruby your life is not in danger if you... join my side, but Jaune's life? That is not so certain."

Merrick said as he watched Ruby's fist balled up into tight wads of flesh. Her body went rigid as her eyes whirred in and out of her skull making odd machine chittering sounds like a computed overloading with data.

"Don't hurt him."

"I want so long as you don't give me a reason too."

"Merrick! If you so much as lay a hand on his head! I swear-

"You swear what? Forgive me Ruby, but I don't think you are in much of a position to do anything really, from where I'm standing you look a bit tied up to be blunt."

Merrick said making the girl growled.

"Leave Jaune alone!"

"I will so long as you do exactly what I say without hesitation or question."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Right to business is it? I like that. Simple you see while I am a _decorated_ member of the illustrious and lauded Bastion internal affairs."  
Merrick began as Ruby resisted the urge to snort.

"You see despite my wide range of powers, and I do have a wide range I am a man of the law! Unfortunately and I am bound by it to a greater and or lesser degree. You see there is a law of sorts for my kind and one of them being while we do have authority to act with impunity over criminals we have no power to move over the innocent. That is where _you_ come in.

"That's where I come in? How and why do you want me to deal with the innocent student's of Bastion?"

Ruby asked a genuinely confused look on her face as Merrick sighed.

"For one Ruby do remember where you live, this is Bastion we are talking about no one is here do remember that it might help your conscious. Two well you see I have a certain vision for Bastion's future. And when I say I mean all of the internal affairs do."

"A vision?"

"A shared goal if you will, does that help? We all want a specific end goal for Bastion and to do so, to reach the goal we need to go over a few bumps in the road."

"Bumps in the road?"

"We need to kill people Ruby. There are those that interfere with our goal for Bastion's future, and we need them to be put _down."_

"Why not just do it yourself? You can murder anyone here as long as they are not the teachers correct? Why do you need me to do anything for you?'

"As much as I would _love_ for things to be as simple as point kill I am like I said an officer of the law I have rules. I can't just go killing students willy nilly now can I? well I _can_ do that but that would make the whole department look bad you know?"

"So you want me to kill them?"

"Yes, you are an outsider you are not affiliated with us in any official way. If you kill someone or a group, it would just be seen as an act of Bastion on Bastion violence. Completely normal and not suspicious to anyone, do you see where I'm coming from? Your neutrality makes you valuable to me, and so long as you keep being valuable, I can assure you and your team including your oh so precious Jaune has a relatively comfortable and safe remainder of a stay here in Bastion. Sounds good?"

Merrick asked as mug grin on his face as ruby looked around sighed and nodded.  
"I'm in."

"I knew you would see reason in the end."

"Did I have a choice?"

"Oh Ruby, we _always_ have a choice, be sure to keep that tib bit in mind for the future, but until said future arrives, I'll have you know I've set the detonations for Jaune and you teams collar for two days from now."

"What!? Why!?"

"Simple. If I do not input _my_ specifically and custom coded input into the devices, every day from here on our your team dies. With Jaune, so in case you got any idea of taking me out so that you could but just as some insurance to keep you from doing anything foolish."

"I won't."

"I know, but I like to be safe rather than sorry."

Merric grinned maki Ruby glared back at him in their dim interrogation room.

"So what is my first assignment?"

Ruby asked finally free of her handcuffs currently busy glaring bloody daggers at the boy who had just threatened her crush's life with blatant disregard.  
"I'm glad you asked, you will be dealing with a particularly troublesome team that has been a thorn in my side for far too long. You are to find them, eliminate them and remove them for me."

Merrick said without looking up from the small crimson book that he seemed to be reading incessantly as Ruby snarled.

"By removing you mean to kill them?"

"I didn't say that I can't tell you to kill, Ruby. But if they are not dead in twenty-four hours, there is a chance Jaune's collar may have an accident. If you catch my drift."

Merrick said finally looking up from his book, delivering a calm disassociated look to Ruby who wanted to do nothing more than to put a sniper round in between his stupid smug face.

"What am I killing them? What did they do to you?"

"Does that matter? I'm not here to tell you things that you don't need to know. Just do what I ask, and you will find yourself in good standing in Bastion."

Merrick said putting his small book half the size of a scroll into his khaki pockets and sliding off the tale.

"The team name is near Arsenal. You will find a way to remove them in a twenty-four hour period."

"Where do they live?"

Ruby asked resigned to do this task for Jaune's sake and nothing else. She didn't know who she was going to kill she hoped that she didn't have to but if-

"Ruby. These are all criminals; they needed to do some type of crime to get into Bastion. Do not feel bad they are little better than the White fang that we kill almost regularly. You do not need to have such stress over our oncoming task."

Her eyes said in its typical cold manner as it zoomed onto Merrick who regarded the protruding limb with mild curiosity but not commenting on it.

"These people... they are not initiation students right?"

"They are all convicted offenders if that helps you."

"It does."

"Good, now I won't get too descriptive for this task it's your first job after all. I'm just asking that you go removed them. How you do this is up to you. I won't put any restrictions on your methods besides time. You have one day if you don't do that them well you know."

Merrick trialed off his voice once again remind Ruby of a summer breeze that blew through a warm night's air.

"I know you don't need to remind me."

"I'm just checking; you can go now I won't hold you any longer. Do your job do it well, and I and you can have a _mutually_ beneficial relationship."

Merrick said with a smile that seemed able to hold butter without melting in the slightest as Ruby sighed

"I'll be back, how will I tell you when I finish?"

"You don't have to I'll know. When you do finish wait around your room for me, I'll find you so we can finish up your arrangement ok?"  
"Fine."

Ruby said as she got up as Merrick opened up the slim grey sliding door tot he Bastion interrogation room with a sharp hiss of pneumonic air.

"Good luck Ruby! If you die, I won't let any accident go down."

Merrick said with what Ruby swore was a pitying smile, that made her guts churn like a broken ocean.

"I won't fail. I'm going to come back to Jaune. I'll make sure he gets back to Beacon. If any of us need to get back home, he does."

Ruby admitted her head falling low as Merrick smiled.

"I do hope you succeed! It won't do for you to die before you get to see your _knight_ in shining armor."  
Merrick said as the door closed leaving Ruby alone outside as her eye whirred out of her skull.

 **"Ruby I have the teams location down in my sensors. I have thier scroll pings shall we began to follow them?"**

"Yeah let's go I don't want to drag this out any longer than necessary."  
Ruby said as her eye whirred in agreement.

" **I also agree we need to finish this task as soon as possible. Jaune will be back soon, and if he finds us doing this, he will _not_ be pleased."**

The eye said while Ruby nodded as she took up her scythe recently give back as she checked her ammo before breaking into a light jog as she began to stalk her prey.

* * *

 **"Four people two faunus two humans. Leader crocidle faunus name Terrick Charge. He's the strongest, his partner a cat faunus with brown skin and air with a long flowing cat tail named Sidney Malofaux. She has a smoke someplace like the Blake? Of your old team. The others are humans. No know semblance, but that might be on purpose. Names are Meril Ruo and Hector Lange."**

Her eye said as Ruby nodded stalking her prey the four punishment students walked slowly in the Bastion hallway all second years which was why they have ignored her while most other students stared whispered and generally looked at her with fear and awe in equal parts.

 _"How the hell does that make a team Arsenal?"_

Ruby thought silently wondering if Ludo had a fetish for names like Ozpin but somehow had _less_ skill at actually naming teams.

 **"We have a reputation."**

Her eye noted dully as seeing the so-called _Red Reaper of Bastion_ walking with our her White knight was raising some red flags as whispers reached her ears.

 _"It's fine how do you think we can kill them?"_

Ruby thought ignoring the whispers and looks that she got from the huddled teams of students surrounding her.

 **"I have an idea, the leader has a glave type weapon. We should not engage him in a close battle. I think we need a more in-depth plan."**

 _"What does that mean?"_

 **"Two of them have melee weapons, two have range. They are second-year team members so I am assuming that they are quite proficient with them. We are more skilled at range fighting but engaging at range with a four to one deficit is not advised."**

 _"So what do you advise?"_

 **"We need to fight them in a way that we can not only win but win fast. Any form of battle that goes on longer than a few minutes will not end in our favor. We need to end this soon."**

 _"Ok, I get that how do you think we should?"_

 **"We need to take them off guard. Hit them hard and without warning. I'd say a surprise attack."**

 _"Alright, I like that how?"_

 **"I have downloaded the location of all of the ventral shafts for Bastion. If we can infiltrate their room through the ventilation we can take them by surprise while they rest in thier room."**  
 _"We can attack through the vents? How do we even get into them?"_

 **"There is a small storage closet here."**

Her eye said zooming to a far off corner of the hallway was a small locked door was sitting idly.

 **"We go in through there and climb through the vents, the journey will take us about five minutes at worst."**

" _How do you know when they will be back in thier dorm?"_

 **"Merrick's information included scroll hacks, I am listening in on thier conversation via thier scroll."**

 _"Merrick gave you information!?"_

 **"Not exactly, while we were being interrogated I used Jaune's codes along with my own programming to steal information from his scroll."**

 _"How did you get information from Jaune's scroll?"_

" **I... If I tell you I was given it by him would you believe me?"**

"Eyey!"

Ruby shouted as the faunus cat Sidney looked around her brown eyes narrowing on Ruby for a second before shrugging her shoulders and continue to walk, her large black collar with an emboldened red letter P on it swayed roughly.

 **"Keep your voice at a low do not let our enemy know that we are coming for them."**

 _"Sorry."_

 **"It's fine now hurry we need to run."**

Her eyes read as Ruby ducked her self behind a mob of shaking first years who were quaking with fear as the Reaper herself used them as cover.

Two minutes later Ruby was at the front of the closest a harsh smack! Of her weapons but broke down the lock and allowed her entry.

The closet was much to her surprise suspiciously like a normal Beacon one. Filled with several wooden shelves call caved into the mountain of Bastion filled with a variety of basic cleaning products and some exotic dust types that seemed to be more fire dust?

"Why the hell do we have fire dust cleaners?"

Ruby asked before shaking her head, she needed to do a job and she needed to do it now.

As she looked up she narrowed her eyes real and fake on the ventilation duct in the room.

"Here goes nothing."

Ruby said as she reached outstretching her _normal_ knees to thier limits and using the wooden shelves as leverage, used her arms new power to yanks out the metal screws tossing the vent on the floor making it clang! With a hard ring before shuffling herself forward in the vents.

* * *

The vent was tight, much to Ruby's displeasure. Ruby didn't like that at all. The inside of the vents was tight and claustrophobic, squeezing her already small frame even worse. It was impossible for the Reaper to do battle in the cold tight confines of the damn vent, her weapon could not even deploy its sniper form in here making her feel oddly defenseless as she shuffled through the ducts like some kind of predatory reptile.

Cool Bastion air along with the dull _whump thuds_ of her body awkwardly shuffling through the vent flowed down the vent fressing her exposed legs making her normal knees shake with an icy chill as she began to shuffle forward.  
True to its word three minutes later and after several twists and turn Ruby found herself at the entrance to the enemy team room.  
As she did forward her eye readied her pan.

 **"Hard and fast don't let them respond.'**

 _"_ Got it."

Ruby said taking one last deep breath steadying herself as she looked down where the four members of her target team where all standing together discuss their day.

" _Did you see the Reaper tailing us today? What the hell was that about? She looked scared."  
_  
Sidney said cat ears twitching as Ruby _gently_ unscrewed the top on the vent catching it before it could fall down pulling it back safely into the vent putting her legs out and bending her normal knees taking a crouching position barely hanging on to the vent's end with her fingertips she took a deep breath and jumped.

Ruby was on them in less than a second. She came down in a red blur her shoozi up in a microsecond aimed right at the leader's wide brown eyes she pulled the trigger.

 _BRAKA! BRAKA! BRAKA!_

Terricks chest disintegrated. It bent and _crumpled_ his aura flaring and _popping_ like a broken circuit as massive cantaloupe-sized hole appeared in it and the boy next to him as Ruby blasted them point black with her sidearm. The recoil from the weapon felt like she had been hit by fucking _Magnihild_ and threatened to rip the gun from her arms as she blazed away.

He and the boy next to him vanished in a red puff of mist. Their aura naturalized in a moment as massive shotgun sniper rounds broke past them thier aura was useless and did nothing to stop them vanishing inot fine red mists. Ruby's ears rang the weapon's sheer concussive power was more than enough to momentarily deafen the poor girl and-

 **"On _our_ left!" **

"Terrick! _BITCH!_ "

Sidney yelled as Ruby's magazine finally ran out, wasting no time not wanting to add another injury to her already _shredded_ body she rolled up flashing out _Crescent Rose,_ in a sharp downward strike. Sidney blocked barley at the last possible second with twin gun scythe-like Rens really before Ruby swung around her using her scythe as a fulcrum before slashing down her scythe in an overhead arch taking the girl in her shoulder making her aura flair blue as she screamed out in pain before slamming her down inot the floor forcing her gun barrel to her mouth. Jamming it inside her throat before pulling the trigger.

 _Crack!_  
Sidney's face vanished in a puff of mist and bone as Crescent _Rose_ took her head off and-

 _"Fuck you!"_  
The last girl said as she stabbed doubt at Ruby with a halberd, Ruby dodged into it darting past her attack and punching her in the chin as, soon as she made contact her arm _exploded_ her long sword flashing out striking her true and skewering her brain killing her in a moment as Ruby panted her body shaking with power as she silence the enemy team in less than a minute just for Jaune to live.

"I... I killed them..."

Ruby said her voice barely above a whisper as the dead broken bodies of the Bastion team looked up at her with cold lifeless eyes, those who still had a face held dead chocked gazes, as Ruby fought the urge to be sick. Her ears rang with a piercing wine both from her own weapons sharp _cracks_ amplified ten fold the cramped interior of a Bastion dorm to the devastating staccato burst from her shoozi.

Her hands shook and her ears rang as tears began to fall from her eyes.

" **Calm down."**

" _I killed them!"_

 **" _We_ have killed before and you will do so again, this is nothing."**

Ruby's eye said as she shook her head, she had killed before but this was different. This was _wrong!_ Her body didn't get that same _tingly_ feeling that made her weak in the legs and felt like she was on could nine! Now she felt sick fighting back the urge to be violently ill as the harsh arcid smell of gunfire and the dizzying ring in her ears beat her down.

"But they were innocent!"

" **They are in Bastion Ruby, no one in here is innocent, not them, not Kage, nor Hino, Mika or even you. With the sole exception of Jaune, we are all criminals."**  
 **Her eyes widened and began to water as Ruby gripped her fist into tight balls. It was finished dead, they all died so fast! Ruby was used to fighting in the arena, not this.**

A fist slammed into her gut making Ruby doubled over, she needed to get out of here! She needed to get away from this bloodbath. Ruby limped tot he team door opening it jumping out of it dragging in the crisp Bastion hallway air as-

 _"Good work."_

A calm voice said from her right as Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin, twin red eyes looked down at her with a hint of amusement, as Merrick leaned against the side of the door.

"Merrick?! What are you doing here?!"

"Monitoring the progress of my _help._ Now I'm glad to see that you were successful I would hate to see what would happen if you failed and I needed to do more... personal implements.'

Merrick said with a narrowed glare as the door closed behind Ruby the girl growled.

"What do you want?!"

Ruby snapped as Merrick grinned leaning up from the wall before walking up to Ruby with a calm smirk.

"Well, I'm also here for a pickup."

"A what?"

"Pick up, we need to go, Ruby, your workday is not quite over yet."

"Not over?! What do you mean?! I killed them!"

"Yes and you did a good job with that but we are not done quite yet."

"What else is there to do!?"

"These four are but a _branch_ of a deeper Bastion issue, we need to cut out the roots of this problem."  
"The roots?"

"Yes Ruby, there is a sickness in Bastion and we are going to weed it _out."_

* * *

 _"Here!?_ What are we doing here?!"

Ruby asked silver eye wide with fear as her an Merrick stood in front of the Bastion churches door,

"Why are we here in front of the church of the light?! What are we doing!?'

Ruby asked scythe in hand _Crescent Rose_ deployed in sniper form as Merrick smiled.

"Ruby a great man once said that religion is the _opiate_ of the masses, today is the day of _rehabilitation_. It's time for Bastion to quit this religion nonsense cold turkey."

Merrick said with an irritated look a venous tone in his mouth reaching into his pocket and making Ruby gak pulling out a foot of a long glistening bowie knife out of thin air.

"We are going to go in there and kill every last one of these fanatics."

"What about not killing people who are innocent!?"

"This is a bit different Ruby, we need to go in there for the good of Bastion."

"How is killing the religious followers of Bastion for the greater good!?"

"You will see in time."

"I won't do this!"

"Then Jaune dies."

Merrick said planting a small grey object on the door inputting a small cork like object in it and taking out his scroll.

"Now do I kill Jaune now or wait till he comes back? Maybe wait until he goes home and sees his friends and family and make his head _pop?_ Not that sounds-

"Ok! I'll do it! Please don't hurt Jaune!"

"Good. Glad you saw reason, most women do not. Pitty. Now let's play some _music!"_

Merrick said playing with his scroll as Ruby cocked her head.

"Music? Why are we playing music?"

"Because we are _not_ animals Ruby, we fight like civilized men. Now get your game face on it's about to get loud."

Merrick said a small smirk on his face as a low drone began to play from inside the church.

 _"Lord knows I can't change!"_

A booming voice said as Merrick pressed a small button on his scroll.

"Cover your ears."

"What why-

 _BANG!_

THe door exploded in a fiery ball of orange and brown. Sending a ball of fire and a wall of splinters flying everwhere whizzing past Ruby's face nearly taking out her other eye as the two walked into the shocked church.

Dozen's of shocked frightened faces in front of them as a full church stared back as Ruby thanks the light itself that Hino was not amongst the parishioners. Even Erebus looked down on her with a shocked expression as-

 _"Brother! Sister!_ Are you alright!?"

A tall dear faunus with twin antlers and tan skin said hopping up a large P for a punishment students on her neck. Her eyes wide if near as Merrick opened his arms as the music swelled.

"Lord knows I can't change!"

Merrick said loudly in a booming voice far different from the normal clam cocky one he used as the dear smiled.

"Well, you are in the right place brother! The Lord knows all and he can help you so long as you seek his guidance and adhere to his principles!"  
"Well I'd like to _sister_ but today is your day of delivery! I have come to save you all from the shackles of your faith! And as _much_ as I would like to do this peacefully well it's just like I said as I said, Lord, knows I _can't_ change."

Merrick said eyes narrowing as out of nowhere his other hand flashed up as a hand cannon appeared in the deer face as bang! Her head vanished in a buff of gore. Merrick's hand cannon blew her face clean off as she was lifted off her feet flying over ten feet back her ruined throat spraying up a fountain of blood and-  
"Well! Lord Know I can't change!"

Merrick said as a gasp flew over the students as the music began to pick up weapons were drawn as the mass charged them.

* * *

 _Crack!_  
Ruby fired her gun her eye automatically picking out any initiation students from the initial rush of students. Thier aura less heads poppling like wet grapes as their bodies were flung like rag dolls.

 _"~ Won't you fly high free bird!~"_

The music blared from the churches dozens of hidden speaks as Ruby laid down deadly sniper fire sending hitting aura less students right in thier heads sending them flying dozens of feet into the air as Merrick smirked.

"Good aim! You might be useful for a _woman."_

Merrick said before drawing his hand cannon letting loose a mass of brutal shots blowing open the heads of initiation and not students alike. His weapon ignoring aura treating it like it was nothing as he began to charge into them a rare gleeful smile on his otherwise passive and indifferent face.

Ruby took a breath letting the sudden display of violence settle in on the shocked churchgoers before charging in.

 **"Left.** "  
 _FISHT!_ A voice screamed as Crescent Ros slashed out taking out a man at the legs nearly cleaving one in half. Taking a quarter of it off as his aura shielded him.  
 **"Right."**  
Her eye red as Ruby jumped back letting loose a volley of sharp _cracks!_ Her weapon firing twelve times stopping a rush of students sending them back as Ruby dove in. Her scythe raised and lowered in a calculate meticulous fashion flowing like a hurricane of metal and flesh-shredding through aura and bone turning students into a blur of flesh and bone.

As she fought like a wild hurricane she heard the low _boom_ s of Merricks hand cannon sounded as Ruby moved like a whirlwind. She knew she could not get pinned down to get pinned down was to die. She acted like a hurricane taking down her enemies like a poke fighter. Not trying to kill them outright but just taking thier aura down enough eventually for them to be shredded by her scythe. As she slashed them down men women falling like bloody wheat-

 _"AHH!"_  
Ruby cried as she fell to the ground her vision spinning as something _titanic_ slammed into her face. Ruby's vision swam as she looked up a shadow fell over her as a massive bear faunus punched her into the ground. Her eyes spin as-

 _Whap!_  
The man punched her making her aura flare up and _plummet_ as she-  
 _Whap!_  
Ruby tasted blood as-  
 _Bang!_  
His head popped as he fell back as Merrick jumped over to her.  
 _"You are welcome!"_

"Thanks.

Ruby said as she got up spitting up blood as the two _danced_ on.

Merrick flowed like water, not letting anyone so much as touch him. His every move precisely calculated and executed his every step _perfectly_ timed with his enemies. He treated combat like a dance dipping and rolling slicing the Achilles tendon of a deer faunus only to rise up slit his throat. Enjoying the sickly gurgling sound of him choking on his own blood. Pulling his still warm body close firing off several shots each killing a student before kicking the dead body into a mass of enemies knocking them over just as a wave of friendly fire shredded them all without getting so much as a _scratch_ on his shirt.

Ever time his knife flashed out a limb was liberated from its owner in a wonderful shower of blood and bone. Every time his gun fired a head _popped!_  
As he faced a fresh wave of students they rushed him making him smirk. He held out his hand as his fingernails glow blue. Several blue _nails_ shot out of his fingers slamming forward impaling the students in the nose before yanking thier _faces_ off in a waterfall of blood. Screaming shrieking bodies fell covered in blood as Merrick smirked raising his gun and going back into the fight.

Ruby for her part was no slouch she rolled into the melee slicking out legs of enemy students taking them at the knee before opening up with her sidearm more brutal _braka! Braka!_ Sounds filled the air as Ruby turned the enemy students into a fine red mist as she fought her way up to the center of the stage as she and Merrick _danced_.

The bloody melee last for three minutes before Ruby finally! Impaled Erebus on the center stage killing him in a moment skewering him through with her scythe. Panting heavily as she coughed and gagged over his dead body.

"Good work _Rose,_ now let's go see Jaune."

Merrick said walking up to Ruby his pale snow hair loose and _crisp_ , his low white tie hanging loose and unfastened his pale white shirt and khaki pants looked as if they where dry cleaner fresh as not even a _stain_ of blood was on his body. As he handed Ruby a hand helping her up as he _smirked._

* * *

 _"Ruby!"_

A desperate voice yelled as blue eyes locked on one silver one Red as a girl _gasped._

"Jaune!"

The reaper shouted as both Jaune, Kage and Mika found her in the hallway as Jaune almost broke down crying.

Ruby was ok! Ruby was ok! She was safe sound and-  
"Who are you?"  
Jaune asked suddenly noticing the sharply dressed albino boy next to her. Noting his _evident_ lack of a collar and-

 _"Merrick!_ You are Jaune yes?"

The albino boy now known as Merrick said a cool and easy tone in his voice that put Jaune at ease asked as he held out a pale hand that Jaune shook firmly.  
"I am who are you?"

"Merrick! I am a _leading_ member of the piercing lance I hear you want to join? If so I can put in a _good word."_

* * *

 **An! There we go! Ruby is safe! Jaune is back and a new _relationship_ is born! The Bastion crew is back as one, and the next time we meet them it's the debut of the piercing lancers! We get to see what they are all about and Jaune makes a _choice._ The story is going to really get _interesting_ as we see our _heroes_ go out of Bastion and begin to _heavily_ interact with the world of Remnant! Yup! You heard! No more dealing with _strickly_ Basiton events! It's time for our heroes to _stretch_ thier legs and dance with the _canon_ world! I hope they are ready for them.**

 **Dealing with hostile factions, neutral parties and downright _attacking_ well-established groups and characters! Hope you like this chapter I actually _don't_ know what's next! I need to do some more planning for Game on and Branwen so I'll think about it! Maybe I'll work on Revers? Don't know until then thanks for reading hope you like the new _cop_ tell me if you did and as always _omake..._**

* * *

 ** _Hero of the Imperium._ Part twenty one. _Victory._**

Jaune fired.

The governor of what was left of him screamed as Jaune fired his las pistol into him. One of his bulbous eye popped in a shower of viscera.  
The man thing screamed as it fell backward as-

 _"Commissar!"_  
"Ren if you would!"

Jaune yelled as Ren nodded twin hell pistols firing turning the things' chitinous armor into messy slag as the thing screeched in agony. The thing flailed as-  
 _Braka! BRAKA! BRAKA!_

"Take it you bastard!"

Arslan yelled firing her autocannon inot him making the man thing howl as heavy caliber auto rounds tore apart his chest. Sending him falling back into a wave of green offal. As the monster reeled back it's large chitinous legs reeling as a flurry of las bolt slammed into him. Twin burst of las-fire coming from Penny and Oscar, the medic and trooper firing into the monster. As the thing fell back the attack kept up Jaune firing into it with his las pistol Ren firing on it with his own hell pistols.

The wither fuselage made the patriarch how in pain as even Pyrrha added her own inquisitorial barrage of strange exotic and definitely illegal weaponry that Jaune would have executed almost anyone else for so much as looking at let alone using.  
As the monster reeled its final moment came with a deafening _CRACK!_

As Mercury blew it's head off with a well-placed sniper round killing it in one smooth motion.

"Hah! Told you I could kill it with one shot!"

"Good work Black, keep it up and you just might get off this dam legion."

Jaune said as he looked down to the infect governors' corpse.

"You did good commissar better than most could."  
Pyrrha said with a gentle smirk on her face.

"You did well to Pyrrha. Thanks for not glassing the place when the thing showed up."

"Oh, first name and snark? My are you a bold one?"

Pyrrha asked flashing Jaune a predatory grin as-

"The commissary is a man of many talents."

Sieena said coming from nowhere stalking up to Jaune wrapping his back in a tight hug. Pressing her soft front into him making him shudder.  
"Get off him!"

Pyrrha yelled face blushing as-

"What's wrong Nikos? You jealous?"

"Get off of him! He is an imperial officer!"  
"Don't feel like it."  
 _"Heretic!"_  
 _"Prude!"_  
"Another day in the life commissar?"  
"Another day Ren. _Another day..."_


	39. Pillar one Mistakes

_"Jaune!"_  
"Ruby!" Jaune shouted his shoulder falling as he eyed his best friend and partner. The young girl zoomed up to him her prosthetic eye zooming out of her skull and locking onto Jaune as the young collared student held her best friend. Wrapping him in a tight hug as-

"AH! There you are! You must be _Jaune!_ I've heard so much about you!" A cool calm voice that reminded Jaune of a spring breeze and instantly put him at ease. A pair of searing blood red eyes locked onto his as a boy without? A collar on his neck smiled warmly at him.

The boy had skin as pale a paper, and a slim build. His hair was the color of freshly fallen snow, and he wore an immaculately cleaned but loos white t-shirt, with a light blue tie hung loosely around his neck. He had on a pair of light khaki pants and wore a firm smiled on his face.  
"Who are you?"  
 _"Merrick!?"_  
"Kage! So pleased to see you! How are you doing today?" The boy _Merrick?_ Asked as he smiled warmly bowing halfway as Kage's mouth drooped. The brown-skinned boy's hands dropped to his side almost reaching for his twin weapons as-

"Jaune Arc is it? I've been waiting to meet you!" The boy said smiling ear to ear as Jaune felt the hair on his back raise up as a tingling sensation filled his body. Jaune felt an instant sense of danger, radiating from the boy as-  
"Yes, that's my name who are you-

"Merrick! Call me _Merrick!_ We are all friends here! I've heard a lot about you Jaune! Did you know I am a leading member of the Piercing Lancers?" Just like that, it popped! The growing sense of unease that filled Jaune's body instantly left his body as all tension and unease that he felt left him replaced by a flood of relief as he smiled to Merrick. Jaune knew he could trust Merrick-

"Really? How?"  
"How have I heard of the White Knight of Bastion? Jaune! Do you take me for a slouch? I watch things! Of course, I know of one of our most promising candidates! Your desire to join our organization has not gone unnoticed I'll let you know! And let's just say that more than a few high ranking members of the Lancers are more than interested in having you join our ranks."

The boy said with a thin smile that looked like it could cut bone.  
"Me included of course." Merrick finished as his blood eyes looked behind Jaune locking onto the students behind him.  
"Zach, a _pleasure_ as always."  
"M- Merrick! _Sir!_ I... How are you, sir?"

"Sir?" Jaune asked shocked that Zach was showing another student? A _semblance_ of respect as the black haired thief looked ready to bolt for the nearest exit and make a break for it.  
"Merrick."  
"Mika. Always nice to see you."  
"If _you_ say so!" Mika said her voice unnaturally sharp and clipped. Like she was forcing out her usually peppy words, the young woman's lime green battle ax falling free from its holster on her fur pels. Swinging freely as she smiled in a way that promised pain.

"Do you have another thing to add Mika?"  
"Nope! Just wondering why the shiftiest person and I use that word loosely is talking to my best girl teammate and leader is all!"  
"Just a friendly chat! Now Jaune how about I take you to the Piercing lancer's headquarters? I think it's time the higher-ups should meet their newest recruit."  
"You can do that?"  
"Of course! Just follow me and I'll show you the way to the good life!" Merrick said smiling wildly as Jaune felt what had to be the rarest emotion in all of Bastion, Jaune felt hope...

* * *

"Now as you may or may not know a Bastion is a place for the more... _socially awkward_ members of society."  
"That's a nice way to say, murderers."

"Kage! You flatter me! Now keep your comment's to yourself, as much as I love to see your lips move I must ask you to keep your mouth closed this time." "As much as I would like for you to keep it wide open," Merrick said with a wink that made Kage go stiff as a board. The usually apathetic boy looked like he had been frozen solid as-

"Back _off,"_ Mika growled standing in front of her partner, blade raised as Merrick smiled wryly raising up his twin gohst like hands and backing off. 'Ok, ok, I get the message." Merrick said backing off before looking at Jaune the blonde leader eyed Merrick with a look of curiosity and optimism. So far Merrick had not been anything but helpful, with thier quest to join the Piercing Lancers.  
"Merrick."  
"Yes, Jaune? What can I do for you?" Merrick asked his voice that still sounded like a fresh spring breeze and felt like a soothing hand was placed on her heart. Jaune had no idea why but something about the boy just calmed him for lack of a better word, even if Ruby for some reason had not kept either eye off of Merrick for the entire journey to the elevator that was now carrying them to the headquarters of the Piercing Lancers.

"Where did you and Ruby come from? I saw you and hear coming back from somewhere? "  
"Ah! I can explain! Ruby was helping me with some _philosophical debates!"_  
"Philosophical? _Ruby?"_ Jaune asked raising an eyebrow to Merrick who was somehow accusing Ruby of all people of helping him in a _philisophical debate._

"Of course! I asked for her help with a bit of a spiritual issue and she was of great assistance to me."  
"So... that's good?"  
"I'd say, in fact, we made such a good team that she has volunteered to help me out with further crisis of faith in the future. Isn't that right Ruby? Can I count on you for more help in the future?"

Merrick asked as Ruby froze her fist balled as her augmented eye zoomed out of her skull.  
"Yes... I will help-  
" _Wonderful!_ Now we are almost here! All of you follow me it's about time you joined the elite group of Bastion." Merrick said as a ding! Sounded and Jaune and the rest of team ARKM steeped out of the cramped elevator as they stepped out into the light.

* * *

"Welcome to the headquarters of the Piercing Lancers," Merrick said as Jaune felt his eyes widen. The hallway they stepped into was not what Jaune expected. The halls that were carved clean from the mountain were sharp, clean polished to a blinding white sheen, that hurt Jaune's eyes.  
As they stepped out the narrow hallway was clean, there was not a shred of clutter or hint of a less than perfect ninety-degree angle anywhere.

As they walked out twin guards wearing a light white armor armed with assault rifles, the newly acquired Arcadian variants, whos faces where hidden by heavy thick grey visors. Thier faces hidden from view as Merrick smiled. "Greetings, I have come with the new recruits," Merrick said smoothly as the guards relaxed.

 _"Sir._ Welcome please, this way." One of the faceless guards said a Jaune notice a large P on his face, his collar indicating his reason for interment the same as him and Ruby as they walked behind Merrick. "Now come please, you all must pass through a checkpoint of sorts."

"Checkpoint? What kind?" Jaune asked as the four members of ARKM were lead into a narrow hallway where a door closed behind them with a heavy pneumonic _hiss!_  
"Merrick?"  
"You will forgive me for this but the Piercing Lancers are a bit of a cautious lot."

"You mean paranoid and twitchy.' Mika spat as Merric gave her a sanguine smile, that showed none of his true feelings to the young woman.

"You will find thier so-called paranoia well founded. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Isn't that right Jaune? You would not want to take any chances with people who have one too many chromosomes, espically after that last mission you went on right?"

Jaune gulped as he felt a pinprick of sweat drip down his back, as memories of the twisting writhing, braying mounds of flesh filled his head.  
"No, that's fine."  
 _"Grand!_ Now for this next test, we will be exposed to a chemical agent of sorts."  
"A _chemical agent?"_  
"Fear not Ruby, this was developed as a cure for _Black Light._ It only affects _nonhuman_ organisms. As long as you are a full human you have nothing to fear."  
Merrick said as Mika froze going stiff as a board, her lips forming a tight smile as Jaune saw sweat begin to drip down her smooth pale face.

"What do you mean by _nonhumans?"_ Mika asked her voice low and toneless. Almost dull as Merrick smiled sanguinely at her.  
"I mean what I said. If you are a human you have nothing to fear."  
"What about me-  
"Fear not Ruby it does not work on mechanical devices, your eye is fine as is the rest of you."  
"See Ruby it's ok," Jaune said smiling down at his best friend as she nodded.

"Alright, that's good," Ruby said eased by Jaune's spot at her side, while-  
"What do you mean it doesn't affect humans?" Mika asked tensing up as her fists became tight balls as she growled.

"Mika? What's the problem?" Jaune asked his teammate and friend hos skin tense and-  
 _Writhed?_ Jaune froze as he swore he saw something move underneath her skin like something was shifting underneath her and-

"Merrick is all of this really necessary? I mean we are all humans here right!" Mika asked a thin pasty smile plastered on her face as Merrick grinned.  
"I know that of course, Mika. I know we here are all human but! It never hurts to check right?" Merrick asked clicking a button on his scroll as Mika ground her teeth.  
"This isn't necessary!"

"But is it _not_ necessary?"  
"Jaune! Tell Merrick that _we_ don't need this!"

Mika demanded as Jaune frowned at his friend.

"What's the problem? Mika is something wrong? It's _just_ a test right?" Jaune asked trying to reason with Mika who looked like her life was in danger.

"You don't know what they are going to do to us! It could be _lasers! Blades!_ We might be lite on fire for all we know!"  
"First of all Mika I am _not_ a cartoon villain, there are no falling saw blades fire pits or acid baths waiting for you all. Please, what do you take me for?"  
"A propped up know it all, who's hiding his inner sociopath under an easy smile and red eyes!"  
"You wound me!"  
"You don't _care!"_  
"I don't, now hold still! The test will begin soon."  
"What kind of test?"  
"Ah! Jaune a rational voice! It's a simple air born test. A certain gas will fall into the room. Anything nonhuman will be... purged for lack of a better word. Oh! I mean biological things only! Your weapons and armor are totally fine."

"Gas!? _GAS!_ Jaune! He's going to poison us!"

"I'm going to poison the people I want to induct to my organization? Really?"

"Look! He just admitted it!"

"Merrick is the gas toxic?"  
"To nonhumans? It's fatal, to us _harmless."_ Merrick said as a low hiss filled the air. A wave of light pink gas flooded the chamber as Jaune stiffened. The gas was cold on his skin and felt odd. Not bad but not great, he held his breath as it dropped down.

He waited until Merrick breathed a deep breath and exhaled before doing the same. Kage sighed taking a deep breath as Ruby flowed.  
 _"HAH!"_ Mika gasped inhaling a deep lungful of air as Merrick's blood eyes locked onto her as she took a deep breath and-  
Exhaled. Breathing the air in and out with no trouble.  
"Interesting didn't expect that."

"Didn't expect what Merrick?"  
"Oh it's nothing Jaune, don't worry about it. Even _I_ can be a bit surprised every now and then. Now! Onto the show! Merrick said as the gas bled out of the room and the door opened revealing a large room bustling with people, some looked like students others staff. Humans and faunus busied around as Merrick led them inside. "Welcome to the Piercing lancers! Please show your selves in while I get your new boss."

Merrick said bowing out going to a group of older officers?

"Jaune, this place is big, like really _big."_  
"I know Ruby calm down. Mika, what was that back there?"  
"Oh, nothing! I'm not a big fan of tests you know?"  
"No I didn't but you acted like you were going to die!"

"I don't like gas ok!"

"It was just gas, not like it could kill you, you know?"  
"Well excuse me _Venke!_ I thought you would care more about your own partner!"  
"I do care but I've seen your tear the limbs of a Creep that gas was nothing, not like you were in any real danger."  
"I just want one of my teammates to care about me! Ruby! You care right?"  
"Of course! I... I just don't see what the problem was, it was just gas and we are all human so what's the big deal?"  
"The big deal is-

"Jaune! Let me show you the leader of the Piercing Lancers and a man who wants to meet you! His name is Mac!" Merrick said as a tall light-skinned man too old to be a student with brown hair and black eyes smiled to him warmly.

"Jaune Arc?" The man asked with an easy smile and a calm walk holding out a long arm covered in a thick brown coat. The man was taller by Jaune by half a foot and seemed to radiate a strange amount of calm from himself.  
"Yes, that's me and-

"Nice to mee you! Name's _Mac!_ Call me that! I've been looking forward to meeting you for some time now!" The man said shaking Jaune's hand in a firm grip, that made Jaune smile. He just met this man, Mac but Jaune felt a budding trust in him.

"Good to hear, I've been interested in joining your organization for some time, me and my team that is."  
"And we have been keeping an eye on you as well! Team ARKM the most dangerous of all first-year teams! We have been keeping an eye on you espically."  
"On _me?"_  
"Yes, you are a rare first year Jaune. You are a rare example of a Bastion punishment student of all things that strives to show some level of _moral integrity."_ Mac said with a calm smile that made the boy's guard drop.

"Moral integrity?"  
"Yes, most first years only see to thier own survival putting the lives of others and espically other Bastion students at a secondary. You don't, you don't like to wast life. And here at the Piercing Lancers, we seek out people who do not waste lives."  
"You don't waste lives?"  
"No. We are a group dedicated to the salvation of Remnant. Even if we are not the most ethical of people that is no reason that we can not seek to better the lives of the people with our _unique_ set of skills."  
"You are a group for the people?"  
"Yes, we exist to help those who can not help themselves. We have near full autonomy to act and we use that to help others in need." Mac said as Jaune felt a swell of hope in his chest, as he might have just found his Bastion group.

"I like the sounds of that Mac.'  
"I knew you would, you have yet to kill an opponent in the arena please tell me why you do not kill them?"

"I don't want to. Killing got me into this school and I don't want to kill to get me out."  
"Yet you _do_ kill. You have quite the kill count if you don't mind me stating that."  
"Why would I? You are right, I've killed since I got here and I don't plan on not killing until I get home."  
"Home? Ah! Your deal with Ludo! You are going home if you can survive correctly?"  
"Me and Ruby yes."  
"But what of Mika and Kage?" Mac asked as Jaune froze, his legs going stiff as he felt wrong-footed.

"I... what?" Jaune asked feeling oddly off balanced as Mac's light brown eyes narrowed on Jaune.  
"I asked what of Mika and Kage? They _are_ your teammates correct?"  
"Yes, why?"  
"Do you care for thier survival?"

"What? Of course, I do!"  
"So you _want_ them to live correct?"  
"What kind of question is that? Of course, I do!" Jaune shouted his temper rising as Mac simply kept a calm glare to Jaune's blue eyes.

"So you would not do something to harm them?"  
"Of course not! Why would you ask?"  
"So you are unwilling to harm them, but you are going to _abandon_ them?"  
"Abandon them?"  
"When you leave what happens to Mika and Kage? Are you just going to abandon them?"

"I... how would I abandon them?"  
"Simple. When you and Ruby assuming you survive go back to Beacon what happens to Mika and Kage? Are you just going to abandon them? Leaving the two people who you yourself call friends behind? Even if they have saved your lives many times over?"  
Jaune froze the man's questions flooring him as he felt anger build in his chest as he balled up his hands.

"That's _none_ of your business Mac."  
"Oh, I think it is my business Jaune. We here at the Piercing Lancers believe in a no man left behind philosophy. We value _all_ members of our group equally. I can't let you in if your only priority is keeping Ruby alive. You need to be able to accomplish your missions no matter the cost. Can you do that Jaune?" Mac asked eyes boring into Jaune as he growled.

"Of course! I am here to save people!"  
"Really? People or _just_ Ruby?"  
"Everyone!"  
"Really? Do you want to prove that to me then Jaune?"

"I don't need to prove it, I'm not going to abandon anyone!"  
"Is that a _promise_?" Mac asked his brown eyes glistening with a challenge.

"It is, I won't abandon anyone!"  
"Good! Then we can use you!"  
"What? Use me?"  
"Of course Jaune! You are the perfect candidate for a training mission for us!"

"A training mission?"  
"Yes as you might know Bastion requires the help of the outside world to operate. And one of our critical dust routes is under attack. We need you to defend it."  
"Attack? From what?" Jaune asked any and all hostility forgotten as he went into Leader mod. Analyzing every word Mac said with a fine tooth comb.  
"Simple. _Grimm."_  
"They are attacking the shipment?"  
"More or less. They are attacking a town that's under Bastion protection. We need you to go there and sort it out. Protect the dust and the civilians Jaune. Do not let harm come to either is that clear?"  
"What's the situation down there? How many Grimm? Can the town's people fight back? Who will we be taking with us to this mission?"

"In _that_ order? Bad. The town is near the Atlas wilds border barley on the map at all. It is walled around but it's surrounded. Our conservative estimates put there to be two hundred Grimm all attacking at one. Ursa, Beowulf, and some Griffons."  
"And you liberal estimate?"  
"A thousand," Mac said as Kage let out a low whistle.

"That's one helluva distance, you sure we can trust your cont, Mac?"  
"Since when has long odds been a problem for you, Kage? You are the one who's in for treason. Doing stupid decisions for little reward suits you."  
"Why us? Why not send in your elite units for this?" Jaune asked heading of an argument before it could begin as Mac nodded once to him a thin smile on his lips.

"Simple. I need to test my newest recruits and two. All of our elites are currently _busy._ That town incident has stirred quite a few feathers."  
"What town incident? What happened on your mission?" Ruby asked her silver eye filled with worry as her mechanical one whirred over to him.

"I'll tell you later Ruby, it was _nothing."_  
"Nothing? Jaune you and Kage went up against one of the most deadly creatures in all of existance! It puts the most ferocious Grimm to shame! To say that your lives no you very humanity was in mortal peril is a considerable understatement!"

"Jaune!? What happened in the town?!"  
"Ruby it was just another mission."  
"Another mission against one of the most _hostile_ lifeforms in existance! One that I have fought personally before."  
"What? You fought that _thing_ before?"  
"Yes... back in my second year I fought _the thing_ before. I barely bested it then, and it cost me, my team."  
"If he _ **th** in **ks**_ he bested it." Mika coughed making Jaune sigh.

"That's... it's..."  
"I know the thing is terrible beyond comprehension you have my utmost respect for fighting it off even in a limited form now this. Jaune, the Piercing lancers are a group of Bastion members dedicate to taking our gifts and making this world a better place no matter the cost. Can we count you in to help us in that goal?"  
"Yes," Jaune said as Mac nodded and the boy sighed.

* * *

 _"OK!_ Here's the plan!" Jaune said struggling to be heard over the roar of the bullhead. The craft soared up into the air, tearing across the sky breaking into the Atlas airspace.  
Jaune stood in front of his team, ARKM being sent alone to determine skill and as Jaune knew to prove their worth and loyalty to the cause of the Piercing Lancers. Their plan was simple. The town they were going to call Ice Cliff was a Bastion protected town and was under siege from a horde of Grimm. In the town was a large train shipment of dust. Jaune needed to make sure that the dust in that train made it back to Bastion unmolested while saving as many civilians as humanly possible. It was an easy task but one that Jaune needed to achieve.  
"Kage!"  
"Boss."  
"What's the situation on the ground?"  
"Been better, been worse. Couple hundred Grimm we'll need to kill them all."  
"How many are near the walls?"  
"Most of them. The majority are surrounding the area where the civilians are taking shelter."  
"Ok, Mika!"  
"That's me!"  
"You and Ruby go there. Take care of the big group, Kage you follow me. We are going to secure the train itself."

"As you say, should I know anything else? Any stupid plans that are going to get us killed?" "Not if I can help it, our mission is simple we get in we kill the Grimm and go home. Simple enough fight?"  
"I got it Jaune! Don't worry I won't let you down!"  
"I never thought that you would Ruby. Mika."  
"Yess ~ _boss man~!"_

"First of all, I'm glad you are better after your gas incident. I don't know what is so bad about the gas but I need you!"  
"What do you require of me Jaune?"  
"Like I said you are Ruby take the big clump to burn them all."  
"Already on it."

"Good, Kage?"

"Yo."  
"Get your self-ready, put your game face on it's time to go," Jaune said as the ramp lowed exposing the interior of the ship that was until a moment ago pleasantly heated now exposed to the bone-chilling Atlas air. The sharp sir flow could have cut metal and made Jaune wince.  
"GO!" The boy said as the craft hovered over a rather empty part of the town wall as the four students jumped off the craft and onto the wall.

* * *

 _"Down!"_  
 _Bang!_ Jaune winced as the sound of a bolt pistol fired off blowing an Ursa that had somehow scaled the five-story wall and was about to get over the edge.  
"Jaune!"  
"I see it!" Jaune said raising his plasma pistol and firing it. The kicking screaming melted body of a Creep was hurled off the wall as Jaune and Kage began to do their sweep of the perimeter.

"Keep going! We can't stop!" Jaune said hissing as he felt the frigid Atlas air enter his mouth. It felt like he was swallowing frosty knives as he ran. The heavy sounds of boots stomping on the cold barricade of the town filled his ears as he and Kage sprinted.

The defense of the town was going well so to speak. Mika and Ruby had successfully killed the Grimm assaulting the town civilians, and now Jaune and Kage needed to only sweep the perimeters for any stragglers that remained.

"How's Mika and Ruby?" Kage shouted before tosing another shot out into the snow bleak landscape that looked lime snow heinous crosses between a frozen, dreamscape and demented painters love child.  
The harsh snowy speaks sparkled in the bright moonlight. Twinkling like miniature stars, bouncing off the snow and ice at odd angels giving Jaune an odd feeling of nausea like he was looking down the lens of a cracked kaleidoscope.

"They are guarding the civilians! They say that there are some Grimm still on the outskirts of the perimeter but Ruby's sniping them!" Jaune shouted the roaring gale of the snowdrift that had just happened! To come when they landed blotting out his voice as Kage nodded.  
"Got it! Heads up! We got more Grimm!" The boy shouted pointing to the newest horde of Grimm roaring out of the frozen tundra. Raging towards the wall as Jaune sighed.  
"Dammit. I'll call Ruby and tell her to look out. We can't afford a breach!" Jaune said raising his plasma pistol online setting. The maximum range possible for the pistol as Kage frowned.  
"Might want to put a raincheck on that call Boss."  
"What? Why the hell would I do that?"  
"The Grimm are coming for us."  
"What?"  
"Look! That horde is heading for the damn train!" Kage shouted as Jaune glared, the boy wishing he had his death korps mask on to block the freezing air that was literally acting up his aura, as he saw that Kage spoke the unfortunate truth. A horde of Grimm was closing on them and it was looking like-  
"Shit! Where are the townspeople?!"  
"All hiding in that building! Why?" Kage asked losing off a couple bolt shots that did little more than irritate the encroaching mass of black and red as Jauen swore.  
"If those things break past this wall the town is done for!"  
"You want me to call Ruby and Mika? Get them back here?"  
"We can't! Dammit. If we take them away from there then the people will freak out! The negativity attracts more Grimm and they will be butchered!"  
"Ok... so what's the plan boss? We need to save the civilians and the dust, and it doesn't look like we can do both. What's the play?" Kage asked the boy usually fully stoic now shivering as the wind whipped his face.

Plastering his mop of black hard down on his brown skin, his still temporary black armor on as-  
"Fuck, I have an idea."  
"Shoot, I'm all ears," Kage said firing again a loud bang filled the air as a Beowulf had its head ripped off. Its body twisting back int bloody twisting pile of black and red before slamming into the snow and disintegrating.  
"The Piercing Lancers are here to save the people right?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
"People Kage! People are what matters! We can't risk the lives of people for things!"  
"Boss... I don't like where you are going with this." Kage said a frown crossing his normally unmoving face as he lossed two more shots into the horde blowing apart two Ursa as he frowned.  
"What are you talking about?"

"The _Dust."_  
"What about them?"  
"We are going to use it..."

* * *

"Boss! This is a _terrible_ idea!" Kage said running up and down the dust train, planting the last of the improvised explosives on the dustcarts.  
"It's our _only_ chance!"  
"Jaune! We can just leave the civilians!"  
"Kage we are here for them!"  
"And the dust!"  
"We can make more people! Dust will save lives!" Kage shouted as the train was finally jury-rigged into an improvised bomb as the boy sighed, this was going to get him killed! He just knew it!

"I'm not abandoning them!" Jaune yelled ducking down falling from the barricade as the low creaking of gears filled the air. Alogn with the sound of twisting metal as the door to the town opened. Instantly a gust of air blew past him as Jaune despite the situation smiled.

There was a _second_ horde coming, another mass of fur and death heading right for Ruby and Mika. If Jaune pulled them away then the civilians would die. Mac said he thought Jaune would abandon people, Jaune was going to prove him wrong. He was going to blow up the train. Well, part of it. He had Kage rig the back of it with improved charges taken from the down and the train itself. When the Grimm attacked he would pull the pin, blow up half the train and most of the horde in the process!

Then after that, he and Kage would clean up the surviving Grim, go to help Ruby and Mika and the battle would be theirs! Sure they would lose some dust but the civilians would survive and that's what mattered.

"Boss! Grimm!"

"I see them!" Jaune said as the first Grim came into to town a wave of Beowulf and Ursa types surged like a black tsunami a hurricane of fur, claw, and teeth. The monsters surged covering the train as-  
"Kage! _NOW!"_  
"As you say." The boy said pushing a button on his scroll and covering his ears. It didn't do much good. There was less of a sound more of a _felling_ in Jaune's bones as the train went off. The explosion so intense and so mindnumbing that it yanked him off his feet.  
The night was alight as a second sun bloomed in the middle of the town. As the first two cars went off the fire dust incinerated the Grimm and eradicated the entire town around it.

The horde vanished in one bright brutal cloud of dust, the firestorm breaking past the wave of snow and sleet. Immolating everything around them as-  
 _"FUCK!_ I use too much charge!" Kage shouted as Jaune felt he blood freeze. The train was split in two. Jaune made Kage split in in half. The one that was going to explode pushed forward the other more vital part kept halfway down the tracks.

Jaune froze, as he saw it. One of the cars blew back, cartwheeling mid-air like a flaming meteor as-  
"NO!" Jaune yelled as the cart slammed into the remained part of the train igniting the dust as the entire town went up into bright yellow light as a star was _born..._

* * *

 _"Jaune..._ do you know why I allow your team so much... leeway?" The harsh rigid voice of Ludo said, the normally passive man looked ready to rip out Jaune's spine.  
"No... sir..." Jaune stammered the four members of team ARKM recalled back to Beacon as even Miss Heil looked terrified of the _glacial_ look on her employers face.  
"I allow you such _freedom_ because you are a gift! You are an _asset_ for us here at Bastion."

"Thank you, sir, that means a lot-  
"Or that was what I would say. You were an asset to us until you decided to blow up half of our DUST! Now you are a _liability._ " The man yelled slamming his fist on the table as his grey eyes shot open with anger. Looking like raging hurricanes as Jaune gulped.  
"Sir! I was trying to save civilians-

"Civilians!? Civilians!? To hell with them! Jaune we needed that dust! We need supplies to save civilians! Now we are at a critical shortage of dust!"  
"Sir I'm sorry. I take full responsibility for this action.  
"You are damn right you do! You will return every last ounce! Of the dust or _else!"_  
"You will kill me?" Jaune asked gulping loudly as Miss Heil gave him a sad smile as Ludo smirked.

"No Mister Arc, I will not kill you. Your life is in no danger! Your team, however?" Ludo asked taking out a scroll and flipping it open and pressed a button. Instantly a low _ding!_ Filled the air followed by the sounds of rapid beeping as-  
 _"Jaune..."_ Ruby said her voice low and shaky tinged with fear and panic as Jaune turned around, her, Kage and Mika's collars were all now blinking. A long line of blue lights surrounding them as-  
"Jaune. You will return every last _ounce_ of dust that was lost today. You have three days to accomplish this task. Do that or your team _dies."_

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant_ part 14 _reboot._**  
 _"Jaune Arc! Lie Ren!_ As a member of his holy inquisition I Pyrrha Nikos award you both with the Imperial Aquilla of valor!"  
"Thank you, Inquisitor. It means a lot." Jaune said bowing as Pyrrha put a medal on his neck, the beautiful redhead winking at Jaune as he bowed.  
 _"Mam,_ " Ren said as curtly as ever as the inquisitor honored the two of them.

"It was an honor to serve with you inquisitor."  
"And you commissar, I hope you will find me at a more... private time later on." Pyrrha said winking at Jaune who blushed once as he nodded.  
"Or you could spend some time working _under_ me." A rich thickly accented feminine voice said as Jaune felt shivers run up his back as pinpricks dotted his back.  
Sieena Khan sauntered up to him the faunus rep smirking like a predator her brown eyes glaring into him as Jaune felt Pyrrha's grip tightened.  
" _Sieena."_  
 _"Pyrrha._ Jaune for saving faunus live and my own. You have a permanent place in my group. Should you ever fell a need for a more... nontraditional partner just give me a call. You have my scroll number."  
Sieena pure rubbing her clawed hand on Jaune arm making him blush as she placed another medal on his neck as Pyrrha looked ready to snap!

"Now! Onto my part!" Jaune said walking away from the dangerous women as he went to _his_ charges.  
" _Mercury Black! Oscar Pine! Penny Polendina! Arslan! And Sage!_ You have all performed your duties with valor and distinction! And it is my great privilege to give you all an imperial pardon! Your crimes are cleared and you are now full guardsmen again!"

"Meh, I like it either way."  
"Yes! I'm back! You here that Penny! We are guardsmen again!"  
"I did hear that friend Oscar! Stupendous!"  
"Damn right we are! Quit sulking Black."  
"Leave him alone Arslan, let him be him."  
"Thank you, Sage. You get me."  
"Ahem! And since you all did so well in this last excursion, I will now make a change to the nine hundred and first Atlas regiment! Starting from today I will now with the newly freed members of the former penal legions! I will instate the first ever nine hundred and first ever _Command squad!"_


	40. Pillar one improvise

_**AN: Bastion. Action. START**_

* * *

 _"I... Sir?"_  
"I did not stutter Jaune. You will do this or you will be dead." Ludo stated coolly as Jaune froze. He didn't hear that. He could not have heard that right. He was just told that Ruby and his team would die?  
"Sir there is a mistake."  
"There is _no_ mistake Mister Arc. You made the choice now your team will pay the consequences."  
"That's not fair!" Jaune shouted as Ludo sighed.

"Mister Arc life is not fair you do know this fact?"  
"I did this! Kill me!"  
 _"Jaune?"_  
"Ruby this is not your fault!"  
"I agree with you Mister Arc. It is your fault. You destroyed the dust. The fault is your own." Ludo claimed his voice low and curt, Jaune felt the tension in his mouth as his fell open.

"But sir! I can't let my team die!"  
"Then I would suggest that you get busy Mister Arc. Two days, that is all you have. Bring back every last ounce of dust that you lost or else your team will die." Ludo said as Jaune jerked his head, Ruby look about to cry. Her silver eyes shimmering as her mechanical one whirled. Venk had a tight grimace on his face and Mika hummed... Like she had no care in the world and her imminent death was of mo more issue to her than a day of rain or an arena fight.

"Sir, what if I can't do this?"  
"Then your team _dies._ And I doubt that you will last long here without them."  
"This is not _fair!"_  
 _"Life_ is not fair Jaune. Now get moving I've said all I need to say. Two days, I want every last ounce of dust back here. I don't care how you do it I don't care where the dust is from just bring it to me soon. That is all..." "Boss... what's the plan?" Kage asked as soon as teak ARKM stood outside of the headmaster's office. "I... I don't know."  
"Jaune?" Ruby's voice snapped Jaune out of his reality as she saw Ruby, the most valuable person in his life, her sole silver eye blinking as her bionic one whirred out of her skull. Zooming in on him as she had a look of fear on her face. "Jaune, we are going to be alright right? You have a plan?" Ruby said her voice creaking as her collar _winked._

"I... of course I do!" Jaune said his voice low and pained, a grimace flashed across his face. Making his scars bend as Ruby let her shoulders sag.  
"Great! I know you can get us out of this!" Ruby said her voice bright but she knew, she knew Jaune had no plans. He had made a mistake. A big mistake and this time it was not just his own ass on the frying pan. He put his whole team at risk and if he did not find a way out of this soon they would be the ones to pay the price.

* * *

"Boss, we need a plan, sooner the better. I don't like having my life on more of a timer than it usually is." Kage said his eyes looked at his winking collar.  
"I _don't_ want to die without my armor, I really need to die with that on me."  
"I won't let you die."  
"How? You plan on getting these collars off of us?"  
"No! Well, I will get them off of all of us. Don't worry but I'm going to get that dust back, every last drop I swear on my name as an Arc that I will save you all!"  
"You really want to lose your family name over this? Jaune I'm not going to lie. I'm probably going to die. We are all probably going to die, so don't do that whole swear as an Arc thing unless you have a legit plan to get us out of this mess." "Don't say that! Venke!"  
"It's Kage."  
"Kage! Believe in Jaune! He is our leader!"  
"Yeah, Kage! You need to believe in the _~Boss man~!"_

"I don't need the only one of us who is not in danger here Mika."  
"What? My head might explode!"  
"You are an _immortal!_ What does that matter to you if you lose your head?!"  
"Hey! Just cause I'm a bit harder to put down is no reason for me to want to have my head blown off!"  
The girl said frowned her shimmering green eyes boring into her partners, and love interests brown one. Her hands resting on her hips, using her assortment of furs as a cushion.

"Mika? You said you are immortal, what do you really mean?"

"Simple Ruby _~Boss man~!_ I can't be killed! I am quite literally immortal! You can not put me in the ground!"  
"Mika no one is really immortal, you do know that right?"  
"Oh, Ruby! You are so cute! That's why you are my friend!" The girls said wrapping Ruby in a hug. Her pale snow colored arms snaking over to Ruby wrapping over her shoulders and pulling her into a hug.

"Mika! Stop that! I can't breathe!"  
"Oh, Ruby! One day you'll understand! But really I can't die. I don't know you two are getting out of this mess but I'll be sure to come to your funeral!" Mika said smiling before jumping over to Jaune. Pulling him into her mouth as she began to whisper into her leaders and friends ear.

 _"I don't care much about me or Ruby, but if you let Kage get killed I don't care who you are. You will never make it back to Beacon unless I ship you ther in little, tiny! Boxes! Ok?"_ Mika asked her face turning into a sickly sweet smile that made Jaune shiver as a cool hand gripped his spine. The girl twirling away making a blatant show of her green battle ax that hung loosely on her side as she did.

Jaune felt his fist ball up, he needed to fix this and he needed to do it soon.

* * *

"So I'm guessing that there is no plan to get the dust, is there?" Kage asked sitting on his bed, with a frown. He was taking his impending death much better than most. Wearing nothing more than a slightly worse frown that the one he usually wore

The boy saw with his twin bolts pistols on his legs as Jaune sighed. "I do have a plan! I just need to think about it."  
"Think about or think of?"  
"Both! Either! What do you want Kage?!"  
"To keep my head on my shoulders. Also, do not have to worry about my last meal requests. I am thinking _fries."_  
"Oh! How about _lamb chops!"_  
"Lamb chops? That's a good idea actually." Kage said nodding to her friend as she laid on her back. Her long silver hair falling to the dull floor of ARKM's dorm as Jaune rubbed his head.

This was bad, very, very bad. The dust loss was worse than even he expected! Twenty-one tons of dust went up on that mission. Tons! Not pounds tons! How the hell was he supposed to get that much dust back!? He was granted full access to Bastion's air transports, making his travel easier. Jaune was given a free pass to skip all classes until he sorted out his situation. Not that it mattered. Even if he went to classes he was still knee deep in this. This might be it, Jaune might have finally bit of more than he could chew...

How could he get twenty tons of dust?! How would he find the damn thing!? The dust from the train was a result of years of mining! Long years of mining dust! He could not hope to get some naturally... He needed to find refined dust in large quantities, that was not only of Bastion grade use but able to be transported to the school.

In short, Jaune was about to die. If he didn't die during the attempt he would kill himself after the failure. Jaune would not go back to Beacon without Ruby. And he truly did not want to be alive when Mika decided to ship him back in little boxes. He didn't want to see the face of his team. "Juniper." Jaune thought shaking his head, he had forgotten the name... to him team ARKM was his new team. Bastion despite the sheer insanity, and pain that it brought him felt less like a prison and more like a strange, bloody, home.

A terrifying, deadly and brutal home but Jaune would be lying to himself if he said he did not make friends in Bastion. And he would be double lying if he said that his friends in Bastion were much more of friends than anyone in Beacon. Jaune felt his hand grip into tight balls, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. This was not how this was supposed to be! He was supposed to go to Beacon, be a hero! Not have to go through the hell of Bastion! Not have to find out that people that were literal! Literal thieves and murderers meant more to him than people he called friend.

People he thought of as his _famil_ y. Jaune did not want to admit it, he really, did not want to admit it but he was a joke in Beacon. He was a loser. His team kept him alive and Pyrrha. Bless Pyrrha, the love of his life who was probably miserable thinking him as dead kept him alive. If she had not saved his ass in initiation he would be a messy stain on the side of a tree right now. But even then, even now Jaune heard it. A dark sickly nagging voice that whispered in his ear. He didn't like it, he didn't want to listen to the voice but it was whispering into his ear. Telling him things that he did not need to hear.  
It spoke in whispers telling him that he was a _zero._

Was, in Beacon, he was nothing but in Bastion? He was something, he was a leader. A true leader, not just a bumbling fool desperate to stick close to his friends to stay alive. No, now Jaune could fight. He could stand on his own two feet. He didn't need his team to live. Even if he knew that without them he would probably be dead before long he could fight without them. He was strong for once.

He had _power!_ He had skills, he had training, he had the weapons! The weapons?! Of my God! Jaune wanted to beat his head in over his weapons! Back in Beacon, he thought he could survive with just a sword and shield!? Why!? How could he!? The moment he got his plasma pistol, the moment he had some variety!? Things jumped! He gained his weapons, he gained the skills hell he even gained his own semblance! He had grown in Bastion. He had changed in Bastion. In over a month he had grown into more of a hunter than a year!

A year in Beacon! He had finally started to live! To thrive! He had finally been what he wanted! He was competent, confident and finally walking on his own! Even if it hurt like hell. Even if he wanted nothing more to go home to see Pyrrha! To kiss her lips and hug her close, he would not have grown like this in Beacon. He as much as he hated Bastion he needed it. Bastion made him grow. Even if it cost those around him. Jaune looked at Ruby, her head hung low. Her sole real eye looking close to tears, her bionic one. The rough intrusive looking thing that took the place of her right eye whirred out of her skull.  
Jaune ground his teeth. Ruby d _idn't_ need Bastion.

She was strong, powerful! She was a true huntress! She had done nothing but suffer since she got here. She was suffering because of him and Jaune was not going to let her keep doing it. Not anymore. He was going to get that dust back.

The life of his best friend would not be lost because of him. He was not going back to Beacon a loser. He had already left as one and Jaune would be damned. On his word as an Arc if he came back as one. He needed to fix this, and the only way to fix it was to start to act. And to do that he needed to call on his _friends._

* * *

"What do you mean you _can't_ help me?!" Jaune shouted as a mouse faunus in a white hood sighed to him.

 _"My lord_ I am truly sorry but I can not help you with this. The Fang can be of no use for you in your trying time."  
"Why not?! I'm your lord!"  
"I know! I know my lord, please! Forgive me insolence but we simply lack the recourses to help you!"  
"Lack the resources? What do you mean by that?" Jaune asked already frowning as the mouse faunus with brown hair sighed.  
"My lord most of our people are no longer in Bastion."  
"Then where are they?"  
"They are either on missions, spread thing or they have been relocated with the regular Death Korps."  
"What about the ones here!? They have to be able to help!"  
"I am also sorry about that my lord. With Erebus dead and the recent attack on our church, we are more fractured than ever. I do not know when we will be able to stand on our own feet again but when we do the moment we are able we will come to you. All you need to do is ask."

The mouse said bowing to Jaune as he let out a low groan.

* * *

"So! It looks like you three are up shit creek without a paddle! Sucks to be you!"  
 _WHAP!_  
"OW! Stop that _woman!"_ Zach hissed as his partner wracked him over the head with one of her massive drills. Hino's kind brown eyes bore into the back of Zach's head. The massive brown drills knocking his head forward as he growled at her.  
"OI! Watch your damn hands! Don't need you knocking me around! That's what fucking Grimm are for!"

"Then don't be so rude! I apologize for him Jaune. Again." Hino said bowing to Jaune shooting a pointed glare at Zach who rolled his eyes in dismissal.  
"Yeah, yeah it's all my fucking fault. Figures. So! Blondie just how the hell are you pulling your ass out of this cluster fuck? You got a plan or are you just winging it?" The boy asked his deep black eyes that remained Jaune of Raven feathers asked. His hands stuffing his mouth with pieces of fried fish. Downing the meat as Jaune sighed. Shaking his head poking around his mashed potatoes wishing he had an answer that he could be proud of.

"I... I don't know yet."  
"You don't know yet? You don't get a lot of time man! You got what a day? At max to find out a dam solution! How are you going to do that? '  
"I don't know!"  
"Well now is one helluva time to figure it out! You don't got a lot of time before you three are all dead. Don't know what the fuck I'm going to do if the only one of you shits I have to talk to is the bloody psychopath! How can I hold a conversation with that?!"  
Zach asked pointing to Mika who was bust devour a plate of seafood. Lobster, clams, and shrimp. Inhaling the buffet with a zeal that would put Nora with syrup to shame.

"Only her? Why? Mika is going to die too."  
"Can't die Jaune. She's immortal. She's perfectly fine." Hino said cutting her pork chop with a fork and knife. Slicing it apart with dignity. Taking her meat to her rich full lips that got Jaune's gaze more than once, her perfect brown skin making him flush as she ate.  
"Immortal? Why do you keep calling her that? Mika is _not_ immortal."

"Yes, I am! I _can't_ be killed! Not permanently at least." Mika said in between stuffing her mouth with seafood. The slim girl swallowing her platter nearly whole! Before washing her meal down with a tall glass of water making her burp!  
"I'm _immortal_ Jaune! You can't put me down!"  
"Mika. You can't be immortal. You know that."  
"But I am."  
"She is."  
"She is."  
"Really Jaune, you can shoot, stab and bomb her she doesn't die. Trust me it's been tried before, to great extent." Zach said munching down on his meat as Jaune groaned reaching the end of his rope as he bit down.  
"Enough! Why the hell do you keep saying that she is immortal?! She is not immortal! She's just a girl like the rest of us!"  
"I'm a _guy."_  
"Reall!? Kage?! Is now the time to nitpick!?"  
"I might be dead in two day's so _yes_ boss. I will nitpick ask much as I god damn well please!"  
"Kage! Jaune! Don't fight! Please." Ruby eeped out not looking up her mountain of cookies untouched. Ruby not eating cookies... this was bad. Jaune knew this was going wrong. One day into the search he had no more dust than when he first started off.

He had tried the faunus they were scattered. The vast majority of them not in Bastion. The other trying to rebuild thier shattered church. Who the hell attacks a church anyway!? The few faunus able to help were not of much use. They offered Jaune the dust from thier weapons. Saying that to help the prophet was worth any sacrifice. Jaune denied thier dust. Unless he knew it was going to be enough. No one else needed to die because of him.  
"She's a _disease_ Jaune. She's a _plague_ you can't just kill her." Hino said as Jaune rubbed his face. This was going to be pointless...

* * *

 _Pain._  
 _Whack!_ Jaune face exploded in pain as a fist collided with it.  
"You are not paying attention!" A voice barked as Jaune grit his teeth. Growling as he planted his feet taking a defensive stance, pointing his sword forward as-  
 _Fisht!_ A crimson blade flashed down as Jaune held the blade. Rolling with the force of the weapon. Letting it carry him down as be broke off! Pushing back, swing back at his enemy. Making them back up to avoid losing an eye. His hand flashed down drawing his plasma pistol firing the weapon. Wincing as a second sun came from his had. Hie opponent ducked under the attack. Moving inot his guar planted the sharp end of his sword into his gut.  
Jaune grunted feeling his aura flare up as his fist swung out. The power fist cackling in the light as Jaune backhanded his enemy. They ducked their head at the last second before slashing thier blade down. Knocking the sword from his hands. It clattered loudly to the floor before a red blade flashed up resting at his neck, pausing right before it sliced his neck apart.  
"Yield," Adam said glaring at his sparring partner, and technical apprentice a human named Jaune.  
"Yield," Adam said pressing his blade to Jaune's throat as the boy sighed. His guard dropping as he accepted his loss.  
"I yield," Jaune admitted as Adam nodded. Withdrawing Wilt with a flourish. Placing the blade back in its sheath ending thier spar before a frown came over his face.  
"Jaune you are not focused, what is wrong?" Adam asked taking a curious tone as his apprentice sighed.  
"I'm lost, Adam. I don't know what to do anymore." Jaune admitted as Adam nodded.  
"I see, sit then. Stay a while and tell me what is wrong. I have heard bits and pieces from others but I never like to act on rumors. Talk and I will listen." Adam said walking back to the end of the sparing room. A room only for Adam.  
The man had offered Jaune a one on one spar in the past, after his rescue. Jaune had never really taken him up but in this desperate times, he needed all the advice that he could get. Criminal or not.

"Sit. I will make some tea." Adam said grabbing a small kettle and burner. Taking them over to an area where a small table with two mats laid.  
Jaune nodded walking over to the table sitting down next to Adam as he poured them both a cup of tea.  
"Much better. Now tell me Jaune what is wrong?"  
"I might have got my team killed." "Might? Did you or did you not get them killed?"  
"I have done all but get them killed."  
"So they live?"  
"For the moment," Jaune said taking a sip of his tea as Adam nodded.  
"That is good then. That means you can still do something about this."  
"What am I going to do? I need twenty tons of dust! Do you know how hard that is to get!?"  
"I... I have some idea how hard that might be to acquire." Adam said a small grin on his lips as Jaune groaned.

"Adam I really need help! I don't know how I can get that dust!"  
"Have you looked?" Jaune almost shot him.  
"Of course I have looked!"  
"Where?"  
"Everywhere!?"  
"If you looked everywhere you would have already found the dust." "Not everywhere!"  
"Then why complain? You are nowhere near down with your search."  
"You know what I mean!"  
"Do I?"  
"Adam!"  
"Fine, fine but Jaune this is not so bad."  
"Not so bad? My best friend, my team! Might die because of me! Do you know what that feels like?!"  
"Yes. I have led men into battle before. I have made bad decisions that have lead good men to thier deaths. I know what it is like to have the burden of command thrust upon me. It is a heavyweight."  
"I know! And people keep not helping me!"  
"You should not shy away from help. We all need assistance."  
"I'm looking for it"!  
"Are you? If you looked at this problem with a clean head you would see the obvious solution." "Adam I have tried! Honestly! I don't know what to do! I need to save my friends! I will do anything for them!"  
"That is good. Knowing that you put the lives of your men before that of your own has alleviated any fears I might have had of sparing with you?"  
"Wait, you were afraid of me? You could kill me in a minute."  
"Ten seconds but who's counting?"  
"Apparently _you_ are."  
"I am just being honest. I am speaking of character. Most humans I know do not have much to speak of."  
"Hey! Not all humans are like that!"  
"I can see that. You, Uzepi and that teammate of yours seem like good humans. But my time in Bastion has shown me the more... the eccentric side of my brothers and sisters."

"You mean the batshit crazy faunus right?"  
"I was looking for a nicer way to say that but yet. There are some individuals here that I would have put down at first sight. Even if Ludo is doing this for his own gains the fact that he is attempting to rehabilitate is a testament to either his moral character or his arrogance."

"It could be both?"  
"It could very well be... Jaune tell me you are given access to the Bastion air transports right?"  
"Yeah. I can go almost anywhere so long as I get the dust why?"  
"Well, I might just know where you can acquire some dust."  
"What?! Where!? Tell me!"  
"Calm down my friend. I will give you the coordinates. You can do what you will when you get there. Although I do suggest you hurry. You don't want to miss your _train."_

* * *

"Jaune! I don't think we should be here!" The worried voice of Kiara said over the Bullhead com system as Jaune grimaced. He along with ARKM had followed Adam's coordinates to Atlas and while Jaune was hopeful, it was over two hours in and still nothing.  
"Why not?" Jaune shouted to be heard over the roar of the engines and the howl of the wind.  
"We are in Atlas!"  
"I know that! What's the problem?"  
"Jaune! We are in Atlas!"  
"You already said that! Why is that a problem?"  
"Because we are in _legit_ Atlas! We are not in some damn port town! We are in the official territory! If we are spotted by a patrol it will be bad! Bastion does not exist! We can't let the world know about us!"  
Kiara said making a fair amount of sense. Ludo was already pissed off with him enough he did not need blowing the lid off Bastion to add to his transgressions. "Dammit! Wait for twenty then head back ok?"  
"You got it!" Kiara said as Jaune frowned. He failed. This was the last day he would breathe. Tomorrow Kage and Ruby died. Thier heads would pop and he would take his gun and-  
"Don't," Ruby said quietly taking his hand in hers. Wrapping her fingers around his as she slid next to him.  
"After we die don't commit suicide."  
"Ruby..."  
"No, don't you Ruby me Jaune Arc. Don't commit suicide."  
"I can't-  
"Promise me!" Ruby shouted making Jaune flinch. Ruby almost never shouted not at him.  
"Ruby."  
"Say it! Say on your word! I! Jaune Arc will not commit suicide! Promise me!" "Fine! I won't commit suicide!"  
"Say as an _Arc!_ "  
"Fine! I Jaune Arc will not commit suicide!" Jaune yelled as he looked to Mika who gave him her usual enigmatic grin that Jaune could make neither heads nor tails out of as she sat silently.  
"Boss, we got a situation," Kage said as a loud train horn was heard?  
"The hell is that?" Jaune asked walking over to a window where a train? Bearing the Schnee family logo was blaring through the snow as-  
"Bullets!" Ruby shouted as Jaune saw. There was fighting going on. The train was under attack!  
"Kiara! Take us down!"  
"What?!"  
"Just do it! I'll take responsibility!"  
"Um ok! If you say so!"  
"Boss, what's the plan?"  
"One last good deed before I die. Let's make this count ok?" Jaune asked as the ships back door opened exposing team ARKM to the howling wind as team ARKM made thier _last_ drop.

* * *

Jaune hit the deck of the train boots first. His combat boots crunching the thick snow as he saw the scene. White Fang? Jaune thought he was done fighting the faunus as he saw several men and a woman or two in masks firing at guards in the blue of the SDC in cover. Jaune didn't hesitate losing a shot of plasma at the closes guard. He screamed. His chest exploded in a ball of blue fire. He fell off the train his body melting apart as-  
"ARKM! Attack!" Jaune said as the rest of his team arrived behind them and they pounced.

They fight was less of a fight more of a cull. Jaune killed two more Fang with plasma fire. Not letting them get an advantage. Ruby sniped them from the back. Occasionally darting in to butcher them in close quarters. Kage demolished anyone of them who came to close with his pistols and Mika...

Well, she made the freezing night just a little bit warmer. Her flamethrower heating up the train as they four of the broke the attacks in less the five minutes. "Down!" Jaune hissed spriling into cover. Along the last desperate bullets from a terrorist as he sighed.  
"Maybe the are my people?"  
"Stop! I am god!" Jaune yelled as a wave of bullets crashed into his cover making him sigh.

 _"Heretic!"_ Jaune yelled as a crack! Fired and the man fell back a bowling ball said hole in his spine as Ruby killed him.

"ARKM! Report!" Jaune said as the team regrouped.  
"Kage!"  
"All dead boss. Unless they don't need thier heads and spines they are done for."  
"Mika?"  
"I chopped em up!"  
"Good. Now let's-  
"Thank you! We didn't know that we would have hunter support! Are you from Atlas?" A guard with brown skin with a name tag reading Solei said as Jaune looked to him. A man with navy blue hair and almond eyes stood before him as he sighed.  
"Not exactly, but we are hunters. Why did the Fang attack you?"  
"Same as always! We are transporting dust to Atlas! They thought we were an easy target! Not so much to you! You know my baby sister Ciel is also a huntress in training?"  
"That's so cool!" Ruby said as-  
"What what is this train carrying?"  
"Dust why?" The man asked as a smile crept up on Jaunes face as-

" _Boss? Boss?_ Oh fuck me, this won't end well!"

* * *

"Jaune. I _won't_ lie I am _impressed._ Honestly and truly impressed." Ludo said looking at team ARKM a shocked look on his face. "Not only did you get us back every once of dust you somehow got more?"  
"Yes sir, that we did."  
"How? Where did this dust come from? And why is it so refined?"  
"Is it that important sir? You got the dust and our deal is complete."  
"I suppose it is. But Jaune I must ask, can you get more of this?" Ludo asked as-  
"Boss... don't do-  
"We can if needed to why?"  
"Jaune! Dust this good can't be wasted! I want your team to get us more of this!"  
"Will we be compensated for this?"  
"Of course you will be! Who do you think I am? You are no longer a liability Jaune. You and your team are assets once again! And as the headmaster, I do personally wish that you will all stay as an _asset."_

* * *

 **AN: Step one Rob SDC.**

 **Step two live.**

 **Step three?  
Profit! What can _possibly_ go wrong?**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant. Short break.**  
"Well, no one tried to kill us today sir. That is always good."  
"Yes, Ren any day when no one shoots at us is a good day," Jaune said drinking his mug of tea as he and Ren relaxed in his private quarters.  
"What will we do when Pyrrha comes back sir?"  
"When the inquisitor comes back we will treat her with the utmost respect."  
"What about Sieena?"  
"If they both come back we run."  
"I see. Do you want to go out when we are in Patch?"  
"Sure, I could say hit to Yang! maybe even get some good drinks...


	41. Pillar one SDC Blues

**AN: Well! Another day another Bastion chapter! The final parts of the first pillar! After this, we have _two_ more chapters to go then the finale! I hope you are ready for one helluva ending! In this one, we see the _repercussions_ of Jaune's _inspired_ dust acquisitions! The way ARKM tends to unwind, a _big_ hint to Mika's semblance! Which is revealed _sooner_ rather than later! And much more! So stay tuned and as always... _thanks_.**

* * *

Jaune was having a _great_ Bastion day.

 _"Boss._ This is going to get us all shot to death." Kage said as the roar of engines filled their ears. Thir custom bullhead swinging up alongside an Atlas train. The blonde leader and very reluctant friend of his smile ear to ear as he drew his plasma pistol.

"Kage you worry too much! This is going to be a great day!" Jaune said as Kage rolled his eyes.

"You say that now but when this shit comes back to bite us in the ass?"

"Which it won't."

"Which it _will_ Jaune. It's only a matter of time."

"Kage you worry too much!" Jaune said as he flexed his legs, the bullhead coming to a full stop hovering over the train, bright searchlights flooded out from the train washing over the bullhead glaring up as the team leaped into the train. Four figures landed on the trains deck covered by the bullhead as Jaune drew his pistol.

"Jaune! What's the plan?" Ruby asked rifle up as the confused and now worried members of the train's staff rushed out to see who was landing on the train.

"You know the drill. The Dust." Jaune said as he smiled...

* * *

"I _still_ think that this is going to end badly," Kage said the four team members walking back into Bastion. Team ARKM had returned from yet another successful raid out into the wilds. Another Atlas train had been liberated free from its dust shipment. The train carrying tons of dust for the SDC was now much lighter the dust going back to Bastion where it would be put to far better use.

"You are worrying too much Kage! We are doing Bastion a _service!"_

"What are you going to do when Ludo finds out where this dust comes from? The hell we going to do then?" Kage asked in a monotone voice that held traces of sarcasm with a tinge of fear.

"We are doing Ludo a service, Kage. He is going to be grateful for our work."

"Yeah, Kage! This is going great!" Mika chirped raising her green ax in a show of triumph as the team walked down the empty Bastion hallway.

"Mika you will excuse me if I do not take the words from you very heavily, you are not one to make sound decisions when it comes down to long-term benefits."

"Oh, you are just a big sourpuss! Jaune tell Kage to be happy!"

 _"Can_ you be happy?" Ruby of all people said smiling ear to her face eye zooming out of her skull as it winked at Kage. The baleful crimson glow from it seemed less terrifying as-

"I threw your mom in a _meat grinder,"_ Kage said with no hesitation. His mocha like eyes glaring down into Ruby's silver one as-

"Oh, Kage! Stop playing around! Threw my mom in a meat grinder? What's wrong with you?" Ruby asked giggling a loud snort leaving her mouth as Kage groaned.

"Kid. I'm not joking I threw your mom in a _meat grinder."_

"Right. I threw your mom in a meat grinder! Good one!"

"It's not a joke. I tossed her in a meat grinder."

"Right! You've never even met my mom! How could you toss her in a meat grinder if you never even met her?"

"I-

"Nice try Kage! Since when did you get a sense of humor anyway? You usually have the personality of a _rock_!" Ruby said as she _teased_ Kage? Both Jaune and Mika gagged, Ruby, Ruby Rose was teasing someone, and not just anyone. Her teammate Venke Kage who had until recently terrified her and-

"Are you teasing _me_?" Kage asked his eyes raised in incredulity as-

"Of course I am!"

"Stop it!"

 _"Nope!"_

"Stop it!"

 _"Nope!"_

"Why are you teasing me?"

"Because you make it so _easy_ Venke!"

"Venke?! It's _Kage-_

"I know but your first name is Venke, and I call all my friends Venke and you are my friends! _Venke._ " Ruby said smiling putting her hands behind her back linking her fingers and leaning forward, making her head cock to the side as she laughed.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what Venke?"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Why?"

"Cause you're ticking me off!"

"But you are _cute_ when you get mad!"

Jaune was not seeing right. Ruby. Ruby Rose was _teasing_ kage. And Kage... Kage was blushing? Jaune would not believe it if he did not see it himself. One second they were just walking down the hall as conquering heroes or raiders. As they were just coming back from stealing dust now? Now Ruby was teasing Kage who did admittedly have the facial expression and movement of a doorknob. Like he was Weiss. And he and Mika had fallen into comfortable lockstep behind them smiling ear to ear as it happened.

"They look so cute," Mika said grinning as she covered her mouth not to draw Kage's attention as he futilely tried to get Ruby to leave him alone.

"They do, don't they?"

"Can't wait to tell Zach this. He won't believe Ruby teased Kage and made him blush!" Mika squealed as despite himself Jaune smiled.

"I'm seeing it right now, and I still don't believe it," Jaune admitted as Mike pulled out a scroll.

"Just gonna record this real fast! Gonna send the Video to Hino, she's gonna be so thrilled! The big bad Kage getting bullied by Ruby!? Who would have believed it?"

"No one who didn't see and even then they would have trouble," Jaune said as Mika recorded the bickering pair, Ruby teasing Kage making him blush and stutter as he looked woefully out of his element on the defensive end-

"Are you recording us!?"

"Yup!"

"Put that down!"

"Nope!"

"Jaune! Do something!"

"Mika."

"Yes, mister ~Boss man~?"

"Put down the scroll."

"Aww!"

"Thank you!"

"And be sure to send the video to Hino _and_ Zach," Jaune said with a malicious grin as Kage gasped.

"What!?"

"You got it!"

"Jaune?!"

"Kage it's just a video."

"It's not!"

"You are so adorable!"

"No, I am not!"

"Kage. You are cute."

"I am not damn cute!"

"Yes, you are."

"Super cute!"

"Adorable!"

"I'm going to burn this team to the ground."

"After we eat, don't burn anything down so soon k?"

* * *

"So let me get this straight, you lot went from death's door to sitting in the lap of luxury? The fuck did you pull that off?" Zach asked scarfing down some type of meat. Jaune guessed it to be lamb?

Into his gullet as Jaune smiled.

"Well, Zach we got out of it by being smarter than others. I was able to think of a way to get us out."

"That's a helluva way to put it."

"Thank you, Kage! Your input is as always appreciated." Jaune said through gritted teeth as the one! Member of his team that was not happy at their new success at his steak and fried tubers. Crunching down the fried vegetable spiked with far too much salt along with his meat.

"What's got his hair in a knot? You get rejected by a girl?" Zach asked as Kage shook his head.

"My leader is determined to get _me_ killed."

"Hah! Fat chance. You are too stubborn to die and with that damn semblance? Jaune make sure to aim for the head with him K? Double tap."

"Zach. I won't kill my teammate."

"Why? You'd be doing the world a favor if you blew his brains out." The ghost skinned boy said chomping down on his food as-

"Zach! That is not a very nice thing to say to our friend now is it?"

 _"Merrick!?"_ Zach almost screamed as the paper skinned crimson eyed leader came over. Appearing at the table for the first time Jaune could ever remember with a tray of vegetables and pork in his hands.

"Merrick? I've never seen you here before." Jaune said as the boy smiled a toothless grin that set Jaune's heart at ease.

"Ah don't take offense Jaune. I just have been rather _swamped_ as of late. I can assure you I have not been avoiding you. We are team leaders after all. We should get along after all." Merrick said smoothly as Zach and Hino went ramrod straight. Both teens freezing to start eating as their leader sat down between them.

He still wore a loose white button up shirt, that hung off his body, a low messy blue tie hung from his neck and he had on a pair of blue jeans.

"Merrick." Ruby hissed through gritted teeth her eye zooming in on him as he fixed her an even smile.

"Ruby so good to see you, how's the hearing? Not deaf yet are you?"

"No thanks to _you."_

"Of don't be like that! Ruby, we are friends right?"

 _"NO!_ No, we are-

"Ruby! Don't yell at Merrick! What did he ever do to you?" Jaune reprimanded his best friend as-

"Jaune!"

"Yes? What's wrong with Merrick? What did he do? _Did_ he do something to you?" Jaune asked eyes narrowing as-

Zach and Hino both began frantically shaking their heads. Zach running a finger across his neck as Hino's wide brown eyes went wide with fear. Her short brown bangs along with her ample chest shaking as she mouthed don't.

"No... Merrick is my friend too." Ruby said as both Zach and Hino looked ready to faint.

"Good. Now shouldn't you apologize to him?"

"Oh, there is no need for that Jaune. Ruby is just nervous! Besides me and she will be spending much more time together as she helps me with more _philosophical_ problems now won't we Ruby?" Merrick asked a thin, calm grin split his lips making Ruby scowl.

"I guess so."

"Good! Now that we are all friends again, Jaune. Please do tell me where you are getting all this dust? You have delivered more dust to Bastion in the past few days than the school has had in most of its history. Tell me what's your secret?"

"Well-

"Jaune~Jaune! Do you really want to tell _mean_ old Merrick team Arkham secrets?" Mika asked as Merrick gave her a warm smile that was bereft of all forms of heat as he closed his eyes.

"Mika I believe that the choice of what information your leader divulges rest squarely with him does it not?"

"It does!"

"Then _why_ are you interrupting him?" Merrick asked the first tone of irritation Jaune had ever heard in his voice often sounded like a summer breeze on his ears.

"Oh, I'm just concerned about my leader's well being Merrick!" Mika said raising her voice to the boy her eyes squinting shut as she cocked her head in a blatant imitation of his.

"Oh hell, here they go again," Kage said shaking his head as-

"You need not worry your pretty little head, Mika."

"Oh, I think I do need to worry _my_ pretty little head that you seem to be obsessing over like a voyeur."

"I am not obsessing over your leader Mika I-

"You sure sound like you do, are you a stalker?"

"I am not a stalker. I am just interested in how your team leader is getting so much dust for your team-

"Oh? And when the smooth tongue sociopath comes up and asks you for your team secrets you just give it to them?"

 _"Mika!"_

"You? Calling _me_ a sociopath? That is a more pot-kettle situation that I ever thought I would see."

"Are you trying to say something Merrick?"

"Not at all. Just pointing out the fact that the girl who turns her fellow student's into her _clothing_ should be the last one to call out mine or anyone else's sense of mental acuity."

"Oh, big words from the sellout."

"Sell out?"

"Yeah, Jaune he's a total sell out!"

"Big words Smith, you seem a bit uppity today, now don't you?"

"I _feel_ uppity Merrick! Especially when jumped up little psychopaths come over to try to screw over my team leader!"

"Funny. You spoke with so much emotion you almost sounded human. _Almost."_ Merrick added a cold dagger in his tone as-

"Almost Human? What does that mean?" Jaune asked eyes narrowing on Merrick as he smiled.

"Oh, I don't know, Mika? Why don't you tell Jaune what I meant by almost human?"

"Oh, I don't know what he's talking about Jaune! I'm as human as everyone else here!"

 _"Fat fucking chance_ ," Zach mumbled under his breath, finally speaking as

"What was that?!"

"Nothing!"

"No Zach speak. Mika will not scare my own teammate. Not on my watch." Merrick said eyes narrowing even shut as Mika gripped her knuckles tight.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Mika said in a sickly sweet tone that hid a wave of malicious intentions behind it. Her knuckles white and her arms tense.

"Oh, I'm just saying if all of us were _fully_ human here then maybe we would have more... productive discussions?"

"Fully human? Merrick, why do people talk about Mika as if she is not human? She's just as human as you or me."

"Oh Jaune, she may pretend to be one of us, but she's only _half_ human, at best."

"Watch your _tongue!"_ Mika hissed her eyes flashing open sharp green glaring at Merrick as he smiled in a disgusting fluid manner.

"Oh Mika, don't sound so bad! Your colors are showing."

"Colors? Merrick-

"Jaune you may not know it, but you have seen more of Mika's... _relatives_ then you would know," Merrick said as Jaune froze.

"Her relatives? When?"

"Well, I wouldn't blame you if you didn't realize it at the time. The last time you say her relatives they were trying to tear apart your comrade's limb from limb. And for you and Kage? Well, they would not have _killed_ you. Well not in the traditional sense mind you, but they would have done something _far_ worse than death." Merrick said his eyes opening in a calm glare as Mika shook.

Her fingers bit into the table as it cracked! Wood splintering as-

"Mika. _Stop._ Merrick, don't do this. You know what you are doing." Kage said his voice inhumanly neutral. Without a hint of emotion in it. One hand placed on her shoulder as he rubbed it gently. Mika didn't even seem to notice his touch as Merrick smirked.

"But what did I do? I said nothing wrong, now did I?"

"No. You're being antagonistic. Please stop." Kage said his hand perfectly still as it gripped her shoulder, Jaune saw that his other free hand had unclipped one pistol and was slowly drawing it under the table.

"Merrick, while I thank you for your concern. Mika is my teammate and my friend, so I would appreciate it if you did _not_ try to irritate her."

"Oh Jaune, I'm not irritating-

"You are engaging!"

"Now, now Mika! If you want to really make someone mad why don't you just tell Jaune your semblance? And get that bombshell out of the way?"

"That's none of your business! You-

"Enough! Ok, Merrick, you were asking me how we got the dust right?"

"AH! A sensible answer, and question! Yes, Jaune please do tell me how you are doing this? Dust of this quality and quantity does not just lie around now, you know? How are you getting it?" Merrick asked his harsh blood eyes that hurt to look at locked onto Jaune as he smiled.

"We steal it."

"I figured as much. But from who? It must be quite the underground factions to produce this much dust with his level of quality to it. Tell me where does it come from?"

"It comes from the SDC," Jaune said-

You could hear a pin drop from a mile away. Merrick paused his mouth fell open and a legitimate shocked look past his face.

 _"Excuse me?"_ The boy asked his face taking on a legitimate expression of surprise and incredulity as-

"We steal them from the SDC. Why?"

"OK! _Enough!_ Stop talking! Hino! Zach! Cover your ears we are leaving!" Merrick said standing up, instantly Hino and Zach stood up hands over their ears.

"Ok, Jaune it was a pleasure talking to you. I hope that we can do so again at a time of your convenience."

"Wait you are leaving?"

"Yes, I and my team are leaving before you can implicate us any _more_ than you already have. Good day."

"What? Merrick-

"I said good day Jaune! Now if you excuse me, I must take my team for a training exercise. I wish you all the best in your current endeavors!" Merrick said bowing once at him and his team filed out of the cafeteria at record speed.

"That was weird."

"Sure was Ruby."

"I told you that stealing from the SDC was a bad idea."

"Kage calm down none of us are in any danger you know that?"

"No. I really do not know that Jaune. I do not know that at all. I think we are all going to die. And sooner rather than later."

"Why are you such a killjoy?"

"Yeah, Kage! Think of the positives! Like that jumped up little control freak isn't here anymore!"

Mika said happily with a cherry tone as Kage sighed.

"Mika just because _you_ are immortal does not mean the rest of us are! When we get hurt, we are hurt. And when we die we _stay_ dead!" Kage growled as Mika shrugged. Her perpetual cheer back to normal as her furs shifted with her slim arms.

"Eh? All people die someday right?"

" _Stay dead_? Mika?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"What does that mean stay dead?"

"It means she will not stay down," Kage added with a roll of his brown eyes.

"Not stay down? Mika, you are a human right?"

"Of course I am _Jaune~Jaune!_ I'm totally human! Completely human! Hell, I'm more than a hundred percent human! I'm the most human one at this table!"

"She's telling the truth," Ruby said her robotic eye zooming out and glaring at Mika with naked suspicion and clear ill intent.

"Oh, Ruby! Of course, I am! And I always will tell my friends the truth! No matter what _nasty_ things your little eye may tell you!"

"You eye _talks?"_ Kage asked his eyes wide in panic as his new free hand reached into his side and drew his pistol.

"Ruby-

"What?! No! My eye doesn't talk to me! That's ridiculous!" Ruby said her face sweating as her remaining biological eye began to shake.

"Ruby, if your eye is talking to you, you need to tell us. This is _not_ a joke."

"Kage I'm fine!"

"Ruby-

"Kage. Mika. Ruby said she is fine, so she is fine ok? Leave her alone she's had enough."

"Thanks."

"Aw!"

"You really need to tell us if it starts talking to you. If it starts giving you advice? Do not listen to it. _Period._ "

"I won't."

"Because it's not talking to you?"

"Yes, Venke! I won't listen to my eye that's not talking to me! _Ok?"_

"Ok. Just don't say I never warned you about this when it goes bad ok?"

* * *

"OK! Put your hands in the air and the dust in the bag!"

"We don't have bags you know that right Ruby?" Jaune asked his pistol raised as a terrified train driver waved his hands.

"We surrender! Take the dust but leave us be!"

"We want your dust, not your life, just help us load onto the Bullhead and you will see your family again."

"T-thank you!"

"Don't thank, move," Jaune growled his gas mask down as the piercing howl of Atlas blizzard forces buffeted him.

"Bossman! We got the back loaded up!" Kage shouted the boy now fully adorned in his repaired red plate. The armor glowed in the lights of the bullhead hovering above. The Vesperia provided light for them as Jaune smiled.

"OK! Everyone, I want this dust ready for transport! We got a long day ahead of us, and I want it down quick!" Jaune shouted as Ruby nodded.

"Arkham! On me! Let's load this dust and blow this pop stand!"

"Pop stand? Are you twelve?"

"I'm seventeen Venke! Thank you very much!" Ruby said through her scroll as the boy no half down the train sighed.

"If you say so, help her with the dust. I'd rather not die in the cold."

"Sure, sure. Jaune?"

"Help Kage, I'll be here."

"Got it!" Ruby said whirring away as Jaune smiled.

* * *

 _"Adam."_

 _"Arc."_

"Nice to see you again."

"You as well, tea?" Adam offered, showing Jaune a seat as the boy smiled.

"Thank you, I'd love some." Jaune accepted the faunus former terrorists offer as his new mentor sat him down on a straw mat in the Bastion gym.

The Bastion gym was ironically a normal one. Not different than any other gym Jaune ever knew. Wooden floors, seats to sit on, long rope hanging from the ceiling and several large lights illuminating the area. Jaune took his place across from Adam as the still masked man poured them two cups of tea from a large pot.

"So tell me Jaune how are your supply runs going? Good, I trust?"

"Better. We have only been on three, but we have so much to show."

"I am glad my friend. Tell me, have you run into any difficulties during them?" Adam asked raising his cup of steaming tea as Jaune did the same.

"A toast, to our continued friendship."

"A toast. To friendship." Jaune said as they clinked their glasses. The two sipped the tea at once, warm, soothing liquid fell into Jaune's lips as he sighed.

"Adam."

"Yes, Jaune?"

"Please answer a question for me."

"Oh? What question is that?"

"Tell me, why did you have me target the Schnee trains specifically?"

"Ah. You think I wanted you to harm the Schnee company?"

"I think you pointed me in their general direction and expected me to put two and two together," Jaune added as Adam smirked.

"Smart Jaune. Very well I did point you to the Schnee train with the hope that you would liberate the contents from the train."

"And when I did? How did that help you?"

"Well, on the one hand, I got to repay the man that broke me out of jail. And if the Schnee company gets damaged in the process? That's a win-win in my book." Adam said with a cruel grin as Jaune smiled at his tutor.

"Well, I'm glad that I and you could get along."

"As am I Jaune as I am. Would you care for a spar after this?"

"I would love to," Jaune said as he and Adam toasted as they shared a drink.

* * *

"The _SDC_?" The frozen downright frigid voice of Ludo hissed out of his mouth as he gripped his desk. His grey eyes no longer calm and cool but boiling with a cold fury like an angry thundercloud. The man glared at team ARKM as even Miss Hellfire backed away in fear as-

"Sir-

"The SDC!? Jaune?! What were you thinking!?"

"That I was going to get the dust! The dust you needed! That _Bastion_ needed!"

"Don't play the Bastion angle with me! The _SDC!?_ You robbed from the _SDC!?_ Are you insane!?"

"NO! Sir-

"Jaune! Bastion needs dust to function! Who do you think supplies us with over sixty percent of all of our dust supply!?"

"I thought we mined it! That we have reserves!"

"We do! We do mine them! We do have reserves! But this!? Jaune the SDC is one of the only! Out of Bastion institutions that know about our existence! They supply us with dust!"

"Sir-

"And you robbed from them!? Are you mad?!"

"I was in a tough spot, sir! You threatened me! You threatened my team! What else was I going to do!?"

"NOT! Steal from one of the main dust suppliers in the world Jaune! That is what you were supposed to do!"

"I... I just wanted to save my team, sir."

"Well too bad Jaune. As of right now you and your team are sentenced for death."

"What?! Why!?"

"Jacques Schnee is demanding! The death of the ones who robbed from him. I'm sorry Jaune, but you leave me no choice." Ludo said snapping his fingers as all members of Arkham's collars began to blink blue and-

"Jaune?!"

"Boss I told you this was going to fucking happen! I even said sooner rather than later!"

"Whoa! I get to take a nap!" Mika said smiling wildly as-

"Sir wait!"

"There will not be a _wait_ Mister Arc. You and your team will pay the price for your actions now-

"I can talk to him!" Jaune said as Ludo paused.

"What?"

"I can talk to him! Jacques! I can convince him to forgive you! And _all_ of Bastion!" Jaune shouted as Ludo lowered his hands as the steady ting! Of the Bastion, collars filled the air. The blue lights slowly trickling down as Jaune felt the sweat roll down his neck.

"You think you can talk to Jaquess? What can _you_ possibly say to him?"

"The faunus!"

"What?"

"The faunus! I am their god!"

"Jaune you surely know that-

"They don't! The mines! I can help him! No more faunus riots! I can help him! Make him see reason and! I can get your dust back!"

"Jaune... what you ask is a lot."

"I know it is sir but have I ever failed you?"

 _"Twice_. Yes, you have."

"I won't do it now! But think of what I have done! All the victories I brought! The dead lands, the Kernal! The city, and the town?! I've done the impossible time and time again! Why can't I do it now?"

"Jaune those were extraordinary circumstances, I do not know if you can repeat them this time."

"I can do it, sir! Believe in me!"

"Jaune, if you fail all of Bastion is at risk!"

"If I fail! Sir, I will not fail!"

"Jaune... out of consideration for you many contributions you will have one and I do mean one chance to make this work. If you fail not only will your entire team die, your family in Ansel will not be safe either. Do I make myself clear Mister Arc?'

"Sir... yes sir. I will not fail you."

"Do not Mister Arc. If you do, the consequences will _not_ be limited to your team."

* * *

"I fucking _told_ you this would happen!" Kage hissed slamming Jaune's head into the wall of the Bullhead. The Vesperia was almost to Schnee Maison where Jaune was going to negotiate or more likely beg for his team's life.

"Venke! Please stop! You are hurting him!" Ruby said silver eye wide with fear, her metallic one zooming out and squinting as Kage pressed the bottom of his pistol of Jaune's neck.

"No Ruby! He got us into this mess! It's his fault we are all going to die!"

"I'm not!"

"You are a fucking _immortal!_ You don't count!"

"Aww! party pooper!"

"Kage, please-

"NO! I Told you! I told you we were going to die!"

"Then what would you have me do!? If I did nothing, you would be dead right now!"

"I know that! I know we are fucked, but I don't fucking like it ok!?"

"I don't care! If you don't have a way out of this get the fuck off of me and let me get to work." Jaune hissed his voice cool as ice as Kage growled. Letting him go as he walked away.

"Fucking blondes. Going to get us all fucking killed."

"Mumble all you want! But this fucking blonde is going to save all of our asses ok?"

"Jaune are you ok?" Ruby asked blurring over to him as-

"Yeah, Ruby I'm fine. Now calm down I think _I_ found a way out of this situation."

* * *

Jaune, as it turned out, did _not_ have a way out of this situation.

"So tell me Mister Arc or Jaune? What would you like me to call you?" The calm condescending voice of Jaquess said as the man glared at him. He was dressed in a silver suit, that was easily more expensive than Jaune's entire home.

He had silver hair, grey eyes, a small black beard and a posture that spoke of arrogance and power. He looked a lot like Weiss in his color scheme and-

"Just Jaune sir."

"Well than Jaune tell me, how do you and your team want to die?" Jacques asked in a calm tone as-

"Sir I do not think we should-

"You don't _think!?_ You don't think! You rob my trains! Killed my guards!"

"We didn't kill anyone!"

"The Fang did! And you are just as bad as them!"

"We didn't have a choice! If we did nothing, we would die!"

"And now you will _all_ die anyway. And! Since you are such a troublesome bunch, I will make sure your family will suffer even more." The man said as Jaune felt his eye twitch.

"Sir? What are you talking about?"

"Your family you fool! People need to learn that they do not interfere with a Schnee!"

"But my family has nothing to do with it!"

"Well, they do now. You are a failure of a son Jaune! I wonder who I will target first? Your twin sisters are up or a gym competition soon. I wonder if they should have an accident? it would be a shame if sun promise gymnast were confined to living life in a wheelchair and eating out of a tube would it not?"

"What!? NO! Don't do that!"

"Or should I go after your mother? She's not taking your death well you know? She even has reportedly attempted suicide." The man said as Jaune felt like a fist had slammed into his gut.

"My... my mom attempted-

"Well I don't know but if she did bless her heart. The fact that she has feelings for a failure like you is remarkable!"

"You lie!"

"Do _I_? I wonder would I ask your sister _Sapphron?_ Or her wife _Terracotta?_ Or maybe I should take it up with your nephew? What was his name again? Adrian?"

"You leave them out of this!"

"I will do what I see fit Jaune. I am a Schnee. A man of power, a captain of industry! And you? You're the trash the gutter rats that seek to feed to the success of your betters. The parasites that grow fat of sucking the success of your betters! You are nothing but a miserable failure of a man, and I pray that your family will waste no time praying for you when-

" _SHUT UP!"_

 _Fisht!_ The sounds of supercharged air filled the air as Jaune snapped. He raised his plasma pistol that Jacques in his arrogance did not see fit to take raised it to the slobbering mouth of the man and opened fire on him.

The superheated ball of gas impacted the arrogant man's face in an instant.

The head jerked back, the man falling back, the upper half of his aura locked body melting, disintegrating into boiling slag. His flesh popped and _fizzled_ and his suit burst into flames. As he fell back the rest of ARKM balked as the gun hissed with a low fizzle and-

"What. Did. You. _DO!?"_ Kage shouted stalking forward rage in his eyes.

"You killed him!? You fucking killed him?! What the fuck!?"

"He was going to kill us! What did you want me to do!?"

"Jaune!? That was Weiss's dad! What are we going to do!? What are we going to tell her?!"

 _"Nothing!_ As for what we are going to do? I don't know-

"UM! _Excuse me!_ Can... Can _I_ make a suggestion?" A weak, timid voice said as all of team Arkham looked to the back of the office room where a boy? Was standing in the doorway. He was young younger than Ruby, and he looked remarkably like Weiss.

The boy crept in fear in his blue eyes along with what looked like ambition? His eyes held a strong sense of purpose? Like a man on a mission. As he walked forward, he had a timid look in his eyes, his legs moving him forward as he gulped.

"Who are you?"

"Me? I am Whitley Schnee. The son of the man you just _murdered_ , and before you act! Please put away your weapons! I mean you no harm!" Whitley said waving his arms as the four-armed teens lowered their weapons slightly as he sighed.

"I must ask are you here to kill me like my father?"

"No... we are not here to kill you... why?"

"Good! Good! That means we can talk!" Whitley said some confidence in his voice coming back as he strode into the room uncaring of the dead still warm body of his father walking up to and right past the armed teens without a care in the world as she sighed looking at his father's corpse.

 _"Shame._ Anyways! I know of Bastion and your roll, and I must say it is a tragedy! What happened to you was not your fault, and I would like to extend my deepest apologies to you all. Honestly."

"Ok... _Whitley_ , why are you saying this?"

"Simple, Jaune? Can I call you Jaune? I want us to be friends."

Whitley said smiling as a low predatory grin split his face.

"Friends? You want something from us. What is it?"

"Simple. You want to have good relations with the SDC, and I want to be its new heir. Now sit down so we can talk _business deals."_

* * *

"Whitley Schnee. Grieving son of the late Jacques Schnee. And now Heir to the SDC. His father was killed by unknown faunus? Assailants and in his death throws gave full ownership of the SDC to his only son Whitley. Forgoing his former choice his daughter Weiss and skipping his eldest Winter. Whitley promises to be a new and innovative face to the SDC as it struggles with this tragedy."

Ludo finished reading the paper an _unreadable_ look in his eyes as-

"And. With an _eighty_ percent discount of all dust purchases from Bastion, along with priority trade deals. I think that negotiation worked nicely sir. Do you?" Jaune askes smiling ear to ear as Ludo pause before a low laugh that turned into a massive chortle filled the air.

"Jaune! You outdid yourself! Remind me to never doubt you in the future ok?"

"Of course sir. I am only here to help..."

* * *

 **AN: There it is! ARKM is in good standing! Jaquess bit the dust! Whitley is in charge _rip Weiss._ And Jaune and Arkm are on thier way! To fame or death! Probably _both_. Next chapter you get to see Mika's semblance! IT's like a virus, looks like a pox, and behaves like a plague! And you get to _see_ just what our resident immortal can really do when she puts her mind to it! Hint it's a lot, also immortal is _not_ just a fancy word here...**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant. _A new_ start.**

"Well, on one hand, we won't freeze to death."  
"What was that commissar?" Ren asked one magenta eye-opening as Jaune looked out of the bullhead Window. The one hundred and eight as their name was now officially called were on the way to Vale. Specifically to _Beacon_ the military youth school for future guardsmen. They would travel there to _instruct_ the next generation of recruits. Whip them into shape with some real soldiers.

It was just a fluff trip and not one Jaune expected _any_ trouble from. Vale was deep in the empire by its very heart, and Beacon was one of the most heavily defended locations in all of Remnant, so the odds of something going wrong were slim. And if something _did_ go wrong Jaune could just hide behind the legions of bodies, guardsmen, gun turrets, artillery and thick slabs of adamantium till it _all_ blew over.

"I said at least we won't freeze to death Ren."  
"Ah. Very good commissar. Tea?"  
"Thank you, Ren," Jaune said sipping a cup of steaming Tanna that Ren had put in front of his face. The man smiling his lips slurping up the bittersweet tea as she sighed.

"Nothing like good Tana right Ren?"  
"Yes commissar," Ren said in his typical phlegmatic voice as he nodded. Jaune's second dressed in his green guardsman fatigue that he wore with pride more or less.

 _Tap! Tap! Tap!_ The sound of a fist pounding at a door alerted Jaune to it as he cocked his head.

"Ren?"  
"Come in," Ren said as the door opened and a frazzled Ruby stumbled in. Her short red hair a mess her silver officer's uniform a mess and her slim form stained with several cookie crumbs and milk stains as-

"Commander Rose." Jaune drawled as Ruby righted herself straightening her back and flashing him a sharp salute.  
"Commander Ruby Rose of the Atlesian one hundred and with reporting for duty Jaune!"  
"Jaune?" Ren asked giving Ruby a demeaning glare as-

"AH! I mean commissar!"  
"Better _Ruby_ ," Jaune said using her first name rather than her rank. He used that to display authority and to show that he was not above being a friend if not _friendly_. Jaune knew that no commissar should ever be _friends_ with his men that did not mean you had to be enemies or not _friendly_ at the very least.

"Sir!"  
"Yes, _Rose?"_  
"I was wondering!"  
"Wondering _what_ Ruby?"

"I was wondering if in Vale I could have some shore leave, sir!"  
"Shore leave? For what?"  
"I want to see my sister!"  
"You have a sister?"  
"Yes! She's a cannoness of the order of the purifying Rose!"

"A _Sister of Battle?"  
"Like Yang?"_ Jaune thoguht as he nodded.

"Sure Ruby, I don't see what that can't be arranged. You can see your sister once we land and have set up our base."  
"Yay! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Ruby said jumping as Jaune noticed her budding _assets._ Ruby's ample if not confided chest _strained_ against her uniform as she pumped her fist in the air.

"I won't let you down sir!"  
"I know you won't."  
"I'll be going!"  
"Goodbye, Ruby."  
"Bye, sir!" Ruby said blurring away as-

"She is _energetic_ sir."  
"She is. How is your girlfriend?" Jaune asked grinning as Ren _actually_ blushed. Gagging as he flushed.

"What?! Sir, I don't have a girlfriend!"  
"What about Flaka?"

"She's just a comrade sir! A relationship would be-

"GOod for you. Go on a date with her."  
"But sir!"

"Go on a date with her Ren. I'm dating an Inquisitor _and_ enemy to the emperor you can date you fellow guard right?"  
"I... yes sir."  
"Good man! Now get your gear we are about to touch down."  
"Will we see Yang this time again sir?"  
"Why not? Maybe we can take Ruby to see her with us? We might even get to mee _their_ sisters along the way.


	42. Pillar one Party favor

**AN: And here it goes! The next part of Bastion! ARKM is on break! They _need_ one. Jaune is not going to do something stupid to get them killed. The howl team decides to _relax!_ As much as one _can_ relax in a school with murder as the norm and friends that are also enemies! So Ruby's get's anew _trick_. ARKM throws a party and finally! We get to see Mika's _semblance!_ Remember! A _Virus,_ a _pox_ a _plague_ think that and you are on board! So until next time? Enjoy...**

* * *

'I do believe that you have something to say to _me_ , Kage." Jaune said with a sickeningly sweet grin that made Kage growl.

"I have nothing to say to you boss except the fact that some deity is either looking out for your best interests or takes pleasure in making us suffer," Kage replied tersely at his leader and once again friend Jaune who sighed as the best of the first year Bastion team walked down the hallway.

"You have to admit Kage we did survive!"

"Ruby we got out on the most technical bullshit ever."

"Hey! Language." The reaper said her fake eyes zooming out as Kage sighed.

"Ruby. We all just avoided being executed for the second time in far too short of a time frame. I think we can all curse a bit you know?"

"There is no excuse for bad language young man! My mom always says-

"I-

"You threw my mom in a meat grinder! Yeah, I know Kage! You threw my mom in a meat grinder! Get real!" Ruby said punching Kage in his shoulder as his eyes twitched.

"Jaune!"

 _"Yes?"_

"Can you tell her that I actually tossed her mom in a _meat grinder."_

"Ruby you heard him."

"He's so silly! He thinks that I'll fall for that one! Get real Kage! Or should I say Venke!"

"Stop calling me Venke! My name is Kage!"

"But that's your first name!"

"So!? What's wrong with calling me by my last name?"

"I think your first one is _cute!"_

"It is not cute!"

"I think it's cute Kage."

"No one is asking you, leader!"

"I think it's _precious!"_

"He's _adorable!"_

"Why do I have friends? Why can't my enemies just hit me in my heart?"

"Hey don't sound so glum! We are team Arkham! We need out Venke Kage! You can't die on us yet!"

"I think that this team needs to eat."

"Oh, I'm starved! Venke let's get breakfast!"

"One. It's lunchtime. Two. Don't call me Venke."

"Ok Venke."

"What did I just?! I... nevermind fine lets got. Jaune, Mika, you coming?"

"I could eat."

"Count me in!" Mika cheered as Venke and Ruby walked forward-

Whap! Jaune gasped as he was suddenly pinned to the wall. A sharp green blade at his neck. Mika pinned him as she held her battle ax to his throat.

"Mika!? What are you-

"You got _lucky_ Jaune!" Mika hissed all hints of levity and kindness gone from her voice replaced by a cold, distant rumble that sounded like it was not even human.

"You got lucky with this gamble if Venke had died? You don't know what I would do to you."

"But he didn't!"

"I know! And that's why we are still friends!" Mika chirped as the pressure on his neck was lifted allowing Jaune to breathe easy once more.

"Mika-

"Come on Jaune! It's time to get some food! You don't want to be left behind do you?" Mika asked back to her normal cheery self as Jaune groaned. She was right he almost did get his team killed twice. He needed to-

"Don't do that again." Mika hissed suddenly dead in front of him her cold green eyes boring into his making Jaune shudder.

"I won't!"

"Good! Now let's get some food! I'm thinking waffles!"

* * *

"I don't believe it. You either have the devil's luck or the staying power of a _cockroach_." Zach said through bites of what looked to be a kebab of unknown meats.

"I didn't think you would live. I'm glad that you all made it, praise the light but I didn't expect that you would pull it off nor how you did it so well!" Hino said brown eyes wide with praise and admiration. The mocha skinned brawler sat next to her partner and leader who nodded.

"I must say Jaune I am impressed. And that is not something that happens every day. Not only did you manage to make up for every last drop of dust you lost you have secured Bastion a reliable quality and cheap dust supply for the rest of the schools hopefully long existence. Good job."

Merrick said as Jaune nodded the boy still digging into a plate of lamb and mashed potatoes as he smiled wildly.

"It was not easy, and there were some tough spots you know?"

"I was there," Kage growled as Ruby flicked her head.

"Stop that!"

 _"Ow!"_

 _"Bad boy!_ "

"We had to all pull together, and at the end of the day, it was a team effort. We all did our jobs well and now? Well, it all turned out for the best."

"Not that we planned it to work out that way."

"Kage sometimes things just work out you know?"

"Do I ever."

"He is right Venke. You never know when sometimes you just need to let things happen to go with the flow. You'll never know where it takes you but who knows? You might just like it." Merrick said as he winked at Kage who cocked his head as Mika hissed at him.

"Back off!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Kage bat's for _this_ team!"

"I don't bat anything."

"I swear you and blondie have heads thicker than most mountains!"

"The fuck did I do?"

"Exist you depressed fucker."

"Zach don't insult my teammate, Kage don't worry about him."

"Oh, I'm not worried about him Jaune. I'm worried about what's going to happen to my team. I mean how much bullshit do we have left to pull out when shit gets bad?"

"We have more than enough Kage. I know that we do."

"Do we? We have over a month till Vytal what's the plan to survive till then?"

"Simple. Don't die. Got to classes. Train, do missions rinse wash repeat."

"That sounds so simple. I wonder how it will fall apart?"

"You are just a pocketful of sunshine you know?"

"Yes I do, if I'm not realistic then who else will be?"

"Quite the moody you sad fuck. Eat your damn meat and potatoes then contemplate suicide like the rest of us."

"Zach that is depressing as fuck."

"So is life Jaune. It's not pretty."

"On that, we agree."

"Why? Do you not like life, Merrick?"

"Oh I love being alive Jaune, but I am not blind to the inconvenience that it often throws our way. To live is to suffer and death will be your freedom. More or less or I think that's how it goes I could be wrong now."

"Why are you so down?" Ruby spat not looking Merrick in his eyes as her robotic eye shot out and zoomed in on him.

"Ah, Ruby! How are you doing today? Enjoying your new chance at life?"

"Yes, I am thank you very much!"

"Glad to see! I hope we can both help each other out in the future! I know some troubling philosophical questions that I may need answered you know?"

"I... I can help you."

"Good to hear! Good to hear! I love it when friends work as one."

"So now that you lot are not hopefully in any mortal danger besides the general one that goes with living in this hell how what's the plan for you sorry shits?"

"Zach."

"Sorry, sir."

"The plan is simple. Do what we do best."

"And that is?" Merrick asked leaning forward as Jaune grinned.

"Fight and win. Team Arkham is not going anywhere anytime soon, and we are going to be great."

* * *

"Grimm? Really?"

"Yes Mister Arc, best team or not you need to kill Grimm for Bastion. You are training to be hunters." Ludo said as Jaune nodded. Arkham sat in front of the headmaster's office their new mission briefing an easy one for a change. They were to go to a Grimm infestation area and kill any they saw. The Grimm posed little threat to any outside sources but their fact that there was a potential mob of Grimm that were roosting it was better to kill them now before letting them become a real problem in the future. As such Arkham was called forward to deal with the problem and nip it in the bud.

"How many Grimm are we expecting? And what variants?" Jaune asked as Ludo nodded his stormcloud eyes shining in the fire of the room. The flames flickered out giving off no heat or warmth as Ludo smiled.

"There are at least several dozen Grimm. As for the variants? We expect Ursa, Beowulf and the odd Creep."

"The environment?"

"Close quarters. Expect to get dirty."

"Great. How will we be getting there, Bullhead?"

"The Vesperia is already fueling up. You can be gone within the hour."

"Ok, anything else?'

"Not really just, please. Jaune for my mental health doesn't jeopardize the future of my school again. I think you and your team have done more than enough in the past few days." The man said as Jaune despite himself let out a low chuckle.

"Don't worry sir, I'm sure my team has more than enough stress for the past few days," Jaune said looking back as every member of ARKM even Ruby gave him a death glare that made him sigh.

"Yeah, we are good on suicidal actions. Let's just go out there." Jaune said as ARKM made their move and left the office, it's two occupants, and the cold fire of the hearth behind.

* * *

 _"Down!"_ Jaune yelled his plasma pistol firing filling the cramped cane environment with a bright blue ball of gas. The rapidly expanding ball smashed into the head of an Ursa with a sickening crack! The monster screamed, a pitiful gurgling sound as it fell backward. Sinking into the frothing sea of black as its comrades surged forward.

"Kage!"

"On it!" The boy said appearing at Jaune's side twin pistols firing. The harsh bangs of the bolt pistols going off filling the air deafened by the helmet that kept Jaunes ears safe. Twin streaks of yellow light came as twin creeps fell back. The large bipedal monsters slamming backward as the Grimm surged up like a tidal wave of black fur shining talons and slobbering jaws.

"Mika! Now!"

"On it boss!" Mika said sliding in front of them, swinging her flamer up as she pulled the trigger.

A low fwoosh! Filled the air as a stream of liquid fire shot out of her weapon Chamberlain. The solid river of flame hit the Grimm wave and broke. The monsters shrieked, the harsh chemical flames slamming into and adhering to their skin at once.

They screamed the monsters shrieked in agony as the flames spread on them like water. The hoard broke their black and grey mass twitching and shaking as they flames consumed them. Jaune was glad he had his mask on as the sight before him fo melting twitching figures was horrific enough, the smell must have been unbearable.

They were in a cave deep underground, and the fact that Kage and Ruby stood without their mask on was a testament to their resilience. Or the fact that they were resigned to fight and die. One way or the other.

"Ruby!" Jaune shouted as she appeared, Ruby had stayed back in most of this fight. Her weapon was not tailored for close quarters combat. The up-close fights suit her well only when she could make full use of her weapons mobility and functionality. But here? Deep underground in a cramped cave she was better at the rear. Taking down any threats from afar with her sniper. Anything that Kage missed would be sniped by her and-

"I see it!" Ruby yell running forward, at a massive Ursa an alpha loomed in front of her. It roared in defiance as Ruby ran ahead scythe raised as-

It happened so fast Jaune didn't have time to blink. Ruby tripped. Her cape caught on a rock as she stumbled the monster roared a massive paw swinging down to crush her head like a grape.

"Ruby! NO!" Jaune eyelid her reeling as-

 _FISHT!_ A baleful red light shot of Ruby's face as the monsters face exploded. A bright baleful crimson light shot out of Ruby face as the monster reared, its head turned to a pulp as-

"Ruby-

"Your eye shoots freaking lasers!?" Mika yelled as the team paused and balked.

* * *

"It shoots _laser!s?"_ Ruby yelled as a pair of brown eyes nodded.

"I did tell you that it had both offensive _and_ defensive capabilities. I don't see why you are so surprised." Felicia said looking down at her clipboard the sandy blonde adept dressed in white robes looked over her board as ARKM gapped.

"It can shoot _lasers!?"_

"I already told you it could, why are you still asking?"

"Because I would like to know if my eye shoots freaking lasers!"

"Well, it does, so there?"

"I!"

"How does it shoot them?"

"Well, Jaune, Ruby needs to be in an emotional state to fire them. She needs to be in a strong emotional mood for the eye to fire." Felicia said as she scribbled down into her pad.

"Wait, so I just need to think of something that I don't like?"

"I believe so, the eye is not exactly a work of science."

"It's a _literal_ , mechanical eye. It is probably the most scientific thing you could get without digging up and refining the materials yourself." Kage growled looking down at his friend with a mix of surprise and shock.

"Well, Kage! Since you asked so nicely! The eye is a bit of an... experimental piece of tech!"

"Experimental?"

"It's one of a kind! There is no other like it! The first of its kind!"

"Wait you put an _experimental_ piece of technology in my partner's head?" Jaune asked his cold blue eyes that reminded Felica of daggers of ice bored into her as she sighed.

"I wished you would look kinder than that, you looked cuter when you were less broody you know?"

"I'm not here for that Felica. You put an experimental piece of tech in Ruby's head. What is it, what can it do for her?"

"Well! It can let her see more than she could without her eye."

"Felica."

"Ok! Ok! Well besides vision it gives her tactical advice, can perform basic math equations and distance judgments. Along with a general read of temperature and some GPS abilities it is a normal bionic eye."

"Not taking the laser eye into account right?"

"Right. That was unexpected."

"How unexpected?"

"I knew it had some offensive and some defensive. We do not know all of them and-

"You don't know all of the offensive and defensive capabilities?"

"No Jaune we do not know all of them-

"How? Didn't you design the eye?"

"Yes and no."

"Yes and no? What the hell does that mean?"

"It means it's complicated! We built the majority of the eye, but there are parts of it that we did not have a direct hand in the construction of. We do not know all of the abilities of the eye in question."

"What are the risks of the eye Felicia? Is it dangerous?"

"Unless it explodes from outside force no? It's harmless to her."

"Good."

"Unless! It starts talking to you! Ruby if your eye is talking to you please! Tell us now! You won't be in any trouble, and we will get you a new eye ok?"

"I..."

"Ruby? Is your eye talking to you? If so then just tell Felicia. It's ok we are all here for you."

"It's not talking to me! Ok? It's not." Ruby said bowing her head as Felicia sighed.

"Very well if it does start talking to you tell us right away and do not! Do not follow any advice that it may give you! This eye is not your friend Ruby. It does not have your best interests at heart ok?"

"You seem to know an awful lot about an eye that you claim to be in the dark about."

"Jaune! It's just standard Mechanicus protocol! If your machines start talking to you and they are not designed to, that's a bad thing."

"I can understand that, but besides that, it is not dangerous to her?"

"Not at all!"

"Do I have your word?"

"As an adept of the Mechanicus Jaune, you have my word. So long as the eye does not speak and there is no outside force exerted on it there is little to no chance of harm coming to her."

"Good. Alright, now that we have that out the way, Ruby."

"Yes, Jaune?"

"You eye shoots lasers! That's so cool!"

* * *

"Ok. So what do we know about them?" Kage asked as he looked down at Ruby who was staring at her hands her eye zooming in and out of her skull. As team Arkham gathered around her. They had retreated back to their room to see what Ruby's powers were. Well, not in the room itself that would be a bit much. Testing weaponry in the team Arkham dorm was actually banned by Jaune after an incident that happened back in Beacon, in a whole other life. Before he was sentenced to death, before the executions, the raid in the city, dead lands, arena fights, the city, the town. Now Jaune looked at his best friend as they attempted to work out how best to utilize her eye to its fullest abilities.

"Felicia claimed that it can only produce a destructive beam at a range of twenty yards and only if it is in a straight line," Kage stated looked at his scroll the notes they were sent by the adept guiding their discussion.

"It also! Says that she needs to be able to have a strong emotional surge to activate it! If Ruby wants to use her eyes, she needs to get passionate! The more intense her emotions, the more powerful the beam!"

"So the twenty-yard range is an estimate?"

"No, that's probably a minimal range."

"Jaune it's a laser, it doesn't have a minimal range."

"I thought that's the minimum effective range. The heat loss will start to add up after that, and beyond an additional ten yards the weapon dissipates into near harmless levels of heat and radiation." Jaune added looking over his own notes as his team nodded.

"So we are looking at an affecting range of about a quarter of the arena?"

"Something like that."

"Oh! Can she do more than just lasers!?"

"Felicia did say that the eye had both offensive and defensive capabilities," Jaune added as Kage shook his head, his body still wrapped in a light black jumpsuit. He had taken off his new armor on the room for what might have been the very first time.

"She also did not say what said capabilities where."

"That _is_ frustrating," Jaune added already shaking his head.

"So Ruby can have anything from a laser beam to a shield?"

"OH! Can you make a forcefield Ruby!?"

"I don't know I can try!"

"Not in the room!"

"Don't be a spoilsport Kage!"

"I"m not being that! If she fires in the room and it does not do a shield then what? What if it raises the temperature and kills all of us?"

"What are the odds?"

"I really don't want to test them ok?"

"No, Kage is right. We should not test it here. We'll test it at the weapons range."

* * *

 _KESHT!_ A beam flickered and fizzled as Ruby moaned.

"Good try Ruby, you can do it," Hino said rubbing her smaller friend's shoulder as Ruby pouted.

"But I did it earlier today! Why can't I do it again?"

"Ruby these things take time, you can't expect to know what to do right away. Especially when you just figured out that you can do it." Hino explained comforting Ruby as she sighed.

 _"Fine,"_ Ruby grumbled as she went back to practice. So far all of Arkham and Hino and Zach had accompanied Ruby to the Bastion targeting Range. The small area built into the mountain was empty at this time. Mainly because Jaune had his... devotees clear out the area of others so they could have it to themselves. So far the training was less than compelling. Ruby had been unable to maintain anything coming near then the beam she displayed in the cave. The five training dummies with brightly painted bullseyes on their chest stood in front of them.

The five silent mannequins seemed to be mocking Ruby as she tried and failed to produce a laser beam from her eyes.

"Come on! Come on you stupid thing! Sorry! I didn't mean it!" Ruby hissed as her eye zoomed out as Jaune sighed.

"Don't worry Ruby we can try again later. You don't need to do this right now."

"No, but I want to do this right now!"

"Hmm, Ruby, Felicia said that the weapon is triggered by intense emotions. Maybe you need to think about something important to make it work?"

"That's a good idea, Kage. Ruby try to imagine something or someone important to you. Think about them and think about protecting them. Maybe that will work?" Hino asked her light brown eyes sparkling with kindness that made Ruby blush.

"Ok, so I just have to think about someone I care about?"

"Why not try love?" Hino asked elbowing her side giving Jaune a look that he missed entirely as Ruby blushed.

"Hino! Don't! Stop it!"

"Ruby this could work you know?" Hino asked rubbing a hand over her friend head ruffling her hair as Ruby flushed.

"Stop that! He might hear!"

"Hear what Ruby?" Jaune asked curious to what his partner was asking as-

"Nothing! I'll try ok." Ruby said blushing focusing as another fisht! A flash of red sparks left her scrunched up eyes as-

"Dang it!"

"Hmmm, let's try another angle on this. Ruby instead of just thinking of Jaune think of other people at Beacon that you know of, you had a team there try them." Kage added as Zach rolled his eyes polishing his twin green pistols in the back.

"Or you lot could try! To be smart and do the obvious thing you know?"

"Zach do you actually have something to say to Ruby or are you just talking?"

"I am not _just_ talking Hino. Ruby think about it you are using a laser! A weapon that kills! Don't think of people you love, think of those you _hate."_ Zach added as Ruby paused, and Jaune shook his head.

"Ruby does not hate anyone Zach."

 _"Bullshit._ She's human she's had to have met someone who rubbed her the wrong way or vice versa."

"She's not like that Zach."

"Why don't you let her answer that question Jaune."

"Zach-

"Ruby. Think about everyone you knew back in Beacon. Did no one piss you off? Where you really friendly with everyone?"

"I... more or less?"

"Come on Red! Where are your fangs!"

"She does not have fangs, Zach."

"I know she does. What did you know, think about them."

"Ok."

"Now look at the dummy who did you know? You knew Jaune, your team was... The Schnee?"

"Weiss."

"The terrorist."

 _"Ex."_

"Same difference."

"Her name is Blake."

"Your sister Yang? Nothing?"

"Nothing?"

"Ok what about blondies team? You have the wonder kid himself but that's not working, the boy? Ren?"

"No."

"Ok, Nora? Or what was his partner _Pyrrha-_

 _KESHT!_

A bright red beam shot out of Ruby's eye. The second Zach said Pyrrha's name. Instantly one dummy exploded into flames as Ruby's eye annihilated it. The dummies top half was sent flying into the air as it flew up like a rocket, soaring up before crashing down like a meteor.

Exploding onto the ground as the group paused. A hushed silence fell over the two teams as Ruby's eye began to glow and-

"Ruby! You did it! You actually did it!" Jaune said picking Ruby up and wrapping her in a tight hug. Utterly ignorant of the bright blush on the girl's face as he pulled her close. Pushing her face into the crook of his neck making her flush.

"Jaune?! What are you doing!?"

"Hugging you! You did it, _Ruby!"_

"I did!?"

"You did! You thought of Pyrrha when you blew up the dummy!"

"Jaune-

"You care for her so much the thought of her being harmed made you activate your eye!"

"Is that what you are getting out of this?" Kage asked jaw-dropping as-

"Of course! Kage, what else could it be?"

"I don't fucking believe it. There's just no way you are that dense."

"What do you mean Zach? Ruby cares for Pyrrha. It makes sense that she would activate her eye when-

"Jaune."

"Yes, Kage?"

"You need a drink."

"You buying?"

"Fuck it, why not? I'm buying drinks! Let's get the hell out of here."

"Yay! Party!"

"Yes, Mika we are having a _party."_

* * *

Well to call what was happening in team Arkham's dorm a party might! Have been a bit of a stretch. To party in Bastion, you needed to either be crazy, out of you mind levels of insane. Desperate, on your last legs when you knew your time was almost up. Or celebrating something so popular and public that no one would _want_ to try to take you out during it.

This was not that kind of party.

"So I stabbed them!" Zach said slamming down his bayonet on a wooden crate creating a dull thud! In the air, as he jammed one of his emerald blades downward.

Pointing at Hino and Kage, who sighed.

"Why did you stab them again Zach?" Hino asked rubbing her temples the limits of her patience clearly being tested tonight as Zach glared at her. His eyes waving as the effects of the Bastion liquor took hold on him.

Zach along with some contact in the bowels of Bastion had acquired several crates of liquor for a party. Jaune did not know why they were celebrating besides to show Ruby a good day for unlocking her laser eye.

It had to be activated by either feeling extreme anger or love.

The eye had an effective combat range of thirty yards at a minimum and could cut through most enemy forms.

 _"HAH!_ Jaune!"

"Oh boy."

"Yes, Ruby? What's up?"

Jaune asked as his best friend cuddled with him. Ruby's first real taste of liquor was not a smooth transition. The girl was apparently a lightweight and was not taking it well.

Her cheeks red as her cape and her head tilting dangerously as she swung it like a literal bowling ball.

"Ruby watch out!"

"No, you watch out! I'm old enough to drink!" Ruby said hiccuping as Jaune sighed. The red reaper was latched onto his side, her soft, oh so soft frame pressing into his. Jaune winced Ruby's soft developing chest rubbing it at his arm that was forming between them as she purred.

"Ruby! You are really close you know that?!"

"I know that!" Ruby asked snuggling even closer as Jaune groaned.

"Why did you give her liquor?"

"She's a grown adult, who am I to tell her not to drink?"

"Kage! She's our friend!"

"You should take better care of your own partner you know?" The calm voice of Krix said the mysterious fellow leader and Rehab student said as Jaune sighed.

"Krix you are not helping you know that?"

"I am not here to help, I am here to get drunk and not think about suicide ok?"

"I guess so?"

 _"Cool,"_ Krix said downing a long drink from a large glass bottle. Jaune did not know what was in these bottles only that it was strong. One sip was enough to make him choke, and Ruby had had most of hers.

"Jaune! You feel so warm! I just wanna snuggle with you all day!"

Ruby said forcing herself on Jaune making him blush.

"Ruby! Stop it!"

"NO! You are comfy! I'm going to sleep on your chest from this day on!" The girl said her fake eye zoomed out and half-lidded as she cuddled and-

 _FISHT_! A flame broke out in the middle of the room as one of the boxes, that had once thankfully had liquor, caught light.

"Fuck!"

"Zach!?"

"It was an accident!"

"Put it out!" Jaune yelled as Kage and Zach stomped the flaming box, turning it into broken chips as Jaune groaned.

"How did that happen!?"

"I was messing around with my blades sorry Jaune," Zach admitted as Jaune sighed.

"Fine! Fine! Just don't do it again."

"I- The hell are you doing over there?" Zach asked as Jaune turned and-

'Doing what?" Mika asked as she hugged the wall? Jaune blinked Mika had gone from near center tossing her glass over her head to the far side of the room.

"Mika? The hell are you doing?" Jaune slurred fighting past the liquor coursing in his system desperate for a reason to untangle himself from Ruby before he did something they both would regret.

"Nothing! Just a bit scared of fire you know! Wouldn't want that stuff to touch me!" Mika said looking at the fire as if it might leap out and _grip_ her.

"Your weapon _shoots_ fire. Why no, how are you scared of it?"

"I shoot fire! I don't get near it! Totally different thing!" Mika said hopping down from their perch like a cat as-

"You are _literally_ immortal, woman! What are you so scared of? Not like anything can really kill you!"

"I know that! It's just I don't like fire ok!"

"You use a flamethrower! How the hell do you not like it? IT's all you do!"

"I do more than that!"

"Bullshit!"

"Wait! I'm tired of this!"

"Tired of what blondie?"

"You keep saying she's immortal! That she's a virus, a plague or a pox!"

"Hey! Who says that about me?!"

"Everyone!" Jaune said as all, but Ruby nodded their heads at once.

"You are all mean!"

"Why do you keep calling her that!?"

"You want to know blonde? Let me show you!" Zach said as he got up, moving faster than Jaune thought he could, walking up to Mika raising his pistol posting it to her head.

"Zach!? _NO!"_ Jaune yelled as Zach fired point blank range into her head, no aura flared as-

 _FISHT!_ The room when white a blinding white light filled it as Jaune covered his eyes.

"Zach! What the hell-

"Come on _Zach!"_

"That was totally _not_ cool!" Two voice _said_ as Jaune froze, his drunk mind fight to where right as he looked forward at Mika.

" _Jaune?"_

 _"What's wrong?"_

 _"You don't look so good?"_

 _"You need to rest?"_

Jaune could not believe it as he looked at two set of green eyes as _Mikas_ spoke to him. The room stopped, the air froze in place as all eyes looked forward and mouths dropped. No one moved, no one talked no one blinked, no one dared to even _breath_ as they _glared._

"Jaune?"

"What's wrong?"

Jaune froze as where once he had been looking at one girl now he was looking at _two..._

* * *

 **AN: And there we have it! ARKM calms down. Ruby has a new eye! Lasers! It was _always_ meant to shoot lasers! And Mika's semblance is _finally_ revealed! I thought a lot about it wondering just what kind of semblance a _virus_ would have. And boy! Did she get a _terrifying_ one! Next chapter Mika's power is explained and we move to the end of the first pillar! Hope you like it! After this is the finale of the _first_ season of Game on then! The beginning of the _Apprentice!_ But not before a special story inspired Couer comes on for Christmas! Until next time _Omake..._**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant._ Part two, chapter two _Meet the family_**

"Jaune Ciaphis Arc! Is that you!?" A larger bubbly and _burning_ voice said as Jaune smiled.  
"Yang Xiao-long. As I live and breathe!"  
"You mean as you live and _cower!_ Give me a hug!" Yang said not bother to wait for Jaune's consent wrapping him up in a bone crushing hug as Jaune groaned. The cannones gripped him almost breaking his spine! Her power armor hissed and let out jets of steam as she lifted him off the floor. Her long blonde main flinging around him as she swung him around her chapel monastery.  
"AH! I missed you too Yang! But can you not make me hurl!"  
Jaune gagged as Yang dropped him like he was a bad hair product. Making Jaune plop to the floor as he groaned.

"Easy there Vomit boy! Don't need you hurling on me _again!"_

"I did that _once_."  
"Twice."  
"Ren! My favorite guardsman! How are you doing?"

"Oh, I've been better."  
"He's fine enough to be _sarcastic._ " Jaune groaned getting up on twin shaky legs groaning in pain as Yang laughed. The tall women dressed in her ornate powered armor the color of her hair. With intricate drawings of flames and marks. As the woman smiled Jaune felt a sense of warmth coming from inside of him. Yang was one of the few church botherers that Jaune could actually stand to be around for more than a few minutes without trying to blow thier heads off that is.

The woman was more about the _purging_ with fire part of the church rather than the Monty botherers that spent half the day praying to Oum to save thier lives and souls. Though Jaune did not fault those who prayed hell he prayed enough for all of Remnant combined he tended to have the good graces to only call Oum during an _emergency_. Often when the bullets where flying and there was a two-story monster charging him down. Dredged up from the depths of humanities nightmares and Jaune was armed with only a rusty bayonet.

"So! I heard you got yourself a unit _Arc!_ Show me the unlucky son's of bitches that get to fight for you!"  
"One. That's _sir_ Yang. And yes I do have a unit. The one hundred and eighth Atlesian."  
"Hey, I know that unit! My sister is in it!"

" _You_ have a sister?" Jaune asked raising an eyebrow as Yang nodded. Her massive man on hair flowing as her _ample_ chest piece struggled to hold in her abundant chest.

"Sure do! You can't miss her!"

"I have never seen her-

"Yang!"  
"Ruby!"  
"Ruby?" Jaune thought as Rose? The acting commander zoomed in form behind _hugging?_ Yang and-

"Ruby! I missed you so much!"

"You to Yang!"  
" _Ruby!?_ "  
"AH! _Sir!_ This is my sister! You said I could come during my shore leave-

" _Yang_ is your sister!?"

"Sure is! Best big sis in the world!"

"How?!"

"I know we look _nothing_ alike! So Ruby tell me! How is Jaune as a leader?" Yang asked as Jaune felt his blood go cool as ice, as he gulped loudly. As the feeling one gets when the world is about to send them into a sprial of pain filled his body as-

"Oh! IT's great!"

"Did he _try_ anthing on you?"  
"What? No, besides almost killing me he's great!"

"Oh hell."  
"Arc!"

"Why _me?"_


	43. The calm

**AN: Here we go! Another day another Bastion chapter! In this one we finally! See the full reveal and _explanation_ of Mika's semblance! And _boi_ is it a doozy. I did ask you what semblance a _virus_ would have and hey I think I did a pretty damn good job of giving it one! So enjoy the madness!**

* * *

Jaune _gagged,_ everyone gagged, all of the Arkham paused as time slide to a halt. Screeching and grinding to a skidding hall all jaws dropped at the impossible sight before them. Jaune knew that it could not be true. He just knew that it could not be true. Every instinct in his body told him that it could not be true. That the sight in front of him could not be true. His eyes struggled to see what was there, as Ruby's fake eye shot out of her skull peeling and zooming in, red lens focused servos whirring as they stared at the sight in front of them.

"Jaune?"  
"What's the problem?" Mika or _Mikas_ said as Jaune looked at his teammates!? Despite how much this galled him, despite how much this simply did not make sense, it was real, and it was happening. Mika... was now...  
"Mikas?"

"Yes, _~Jaune~Jaune?"_  
"What's up _~Mister boss man!~._ " Both Mikas said one after the other. Both talking in perfect synch as if they were both thinking the same thoughts. "Mika?" Jaune said as-

"Mika?"

"Ruby?" Mika asked the one that was a dead look-alike for the other or maybe the other was its own dead look alike? They both looked like Mika down to the clothes they wore. They had the same ghostly pale skin, piercing emerald eyes that shimmered in the light. As Jaune gagged at the two of them Ruby's eye zoomed forward taking several photos as-

"What's happening!?" Jaune suddenly shouted not knowing what the hell was happening and-

 _"That's_ her semblance." Kage finally added not seeing the point in hiding anything as he rubbed his head. The boy letting out a long sigh as the Mikas nodded in a perfect synchronized union. Their head rising and falling as one.

"What the hell? She clones!?"

"She _splits_ ," Zach said his voice still a bit slurred as he waved one of his energy pistols at them.

"She splits?" Jaune still asked not knowing what the hell he was talking about as he was still struggling to come to grips with the fact that he saw two! Versions of his friend that blinked in unison.

"Yup!"

"That's my semblance!"

"I can _split!"_ The Mika's said finishing each other's sentences with a perfect loop. The two finished each other's words and somehow blinking at the same time.

"What, does that mean?" Jaune asked a hand falling down to his plasma pistol as-

"She splits. Whenever she takes enough damage, she breaks into two." Zach drawled as Mika's nodded.

"Yup!"

"Sure do!"

"That's us!"

"You split?"

"A perfect clone." Hino sighed as the two Mikas' sighed.

"Yup we clone yourself!"

"We do it when we take damage!"

"I... how does that work?"

"Simple. When she takes enough damage, she will automatically clone herself. Both clones have a full aura and are instantly healed of any and all wounds that were on the original." Kage added still frowning at the two Mika's as-

"She splits, like a disease?"

"Just like we told you. She's a literal _virus,_ a plague, a pox!" Zach said waving a pistol as Mika nodded.

"Every time I'm about to die!"

"I clone myself into two!"

"Healing in the process!"

"And with full aura given back? I am good to go!"

"Wait. Every time you are about to die you split?"

"Yes."

"You know it!"

"But you heal!"

"Sure do!"

"Mister _~Boss man~_ pays attention you know?"

"But if every time you are about to die you split and heal then-

"We told you. She is immortal." Kage added as Jaune froze. Mika was immortal. Not hard to kill. Bot durable but literally immortal! She could not be killed!  
"She's a disease." Krix drawled as she took a swig from the liquor, her pink eyes glaring at Mika as they turned as one to face her.

"Aww, Krixy! That hurts!"

"You shouldn't be mean!"

"Right," Krix said her pink eyes rolling as she ignored the two of them.

"Wait so you can just become two?"

"Not at all!"

"We don't stop there!"

"Let me show you!" One Mika said taking a pistol from Zach's hands.

"Hey! Watch it!" The boy said as she took the pistol put it to the head of her other and-

 _Fist!_ The pistol fired, and another bright flash of light filled the air as-

"There we go!"

"Now _we_ are here!"

"It's good to have more than us!" Three. There were _three_ of them. Jaune gagged, where there was once two there were now three Mika's all standing in the room.

"You can keep cloning?!"

"She sure can."

"Zach is right. She can keep cloning as long as she has an aura. And the clones can clone, and the clones, clones can clone and so on and so forth." Hino added finishing up the explanation of Mika's semblance making Jaune's head spin.

"So she can't die?"

"I told you she was _immortal._ Didn't you listen?" Kage asked raising a lone brown eye as Jaune looked ready to faint.

"How was I supposed to! You said she was immortal! How could I have known!?"

"Because I said she was? How was that hard? I told you she was immortal time and time again. We all did what did you expect?" Kage asked a genuinely confused tone in his voice as Jaune reeled.

"So you can just keep cloning?"

"Sure can!"

"Watch us!" Mika said taking the gun pointing at her others as-

 _Fisht! Fisht!_ Mike fired five times as five more of them appeared in the now cramped Arkham dorm as there was now a grand total of _eight_ Mikas' in the room.

"How?! How do you keep cloning!? Where are your other clones?"

"The clones don't last forever Jaune."

"Yeah! They don't last past ten minutes!"

 _"Ten minutes?"_

"Yup!"

"They can only last for ten minutes!"

"After that, they can't exist past a ten-yard radius of me!"

"What?"

"If they go beyond a ten-yard radius from the original after ten minutes they vanish!" Mika the original? Said as they all nodded.

"Yup!"

"They need to be within a ten-yard radius of the main after ten minutes."

"If they don't then poof!"

"They go into mid-air!"

"They just vanish?" Jaune asked his curiosity now piqued, and his initial fear and nerves at seeing a clone of his friend well clones of his friend now stood, blinking in perfect unison. All moving in one smooth action in a way that was _inhumanly_ unnerving.

"How, who are you?"

"Me?"

"What do you mean Ruby?"

"Who are we?"

"I'm Mika!"

"How did you forget my name friend?"

"I didn't! I'm just! Which one is the real you?"

"The real me?"

"I am the real me.'

"Why would you ask that?" Three different Mika's all asked at once. Both blinking in a synchronized order as Ruby balked. Her face dropping as Jaune glared at Mika's?

"I mean! Who is the original?"

"I am." All eight of them said at the exact same time. Their mouths opening and closing at once. Thier moves perfectly time and happening in the exact same order.

"Which one of you does the thinking?!"

 _"I_ do.'

"We are all one Ruby."

"We might be split up, but we still think."

"We all have one train of thought."

"We can see."

"Hear."

"And think ats one."

"While also being able to process individual situations and processing outside stimuli."

"So you all see the same thing?"

"We all see what the others see.'

"We feel what the others feel."

"Whatever knowledge one of us possesses all of us possess."

"So you can just keep multiplying?" Jaune asked his inner tactical mind kicking into overdrive as he attempted to gather as much information from a new source as humanly possible.

"Yup!"

"We can keep cloning as long as we have aura!"

"But every time you clone it not only heals your wounds, but it fully restores both of you aura!?"

"Yup!"

"That's how we do it!" The _Mika's_ said finishing each other's sentences without pause. Each filling in for the other one and all doing it without a hint of pause.

"I... For how long!? Since when was this your semblance?"

"Since I was born."

"You switch your _pronouns._ Sometimes you say _I_ , sometimes you say _we,_ which is it? Are you _one_ person seeing things through multiple perspectives, or are you individuals all acting as one?" Ruby asked an oddly insightful question that made Mika's pause.

"I am one person."

"I am split through many others."

 _"We_ are one person."

"Even if there is no _us._ "

"We have found it better to refer to us in certain ways."

"This makes it easier for us to get along in the world."

"So there is only one Mika. There are not multiple Mika Smiths running around? There is only you." Jaune asked trying to cut right down to the center of this development.

"That is true."

"Only one."

"While we can all form an individual opinion on a specific circumstance we are all one."

"I see. How do you clone your weapons?" Jaune asked noting that each clone had an identical copy of _Chamberlain_ and her battle ax attached to their sides.

"I get your cloning biologically but how do you take your weapon with you?"

 _"Secret!"_

"Secret?"

"We can't tell you all of our tricks now Jaune can we?" The Mikas said as Kage sighed.

"You see what I mean? They are all one. And Mika is immortal."

"She really can't die?"

"No way blondie. Trust us she can be shot, _stabbed, beaten, flayed, crushed blown up_ she just keeps coming back. She's immortal Jaune there is no known way to kill her. Trust us we've _tried._ " Zach added rolling his black eyes taking his pistol back.

"Give me that!"

"Hey!"

"Don't snatch!"

"Don't make more clones of yourself!" Zach snapped back as a Mika sighed shrugging her shoulders an action that all of them followed suit in.

"So all of you will be in our dorm?" Jaune asked not knowing how eleven people would split four beds and not wanting to have to _delegate_ that sleeping arrangement.

"Until the time limit passes."

"Then one of them will eventually wander out of the zone and vanish."

"Does that bother you? Is that not like dying?"

"What?"

"Not like that Ruby, Jaune already asked."

"We are one."

"If one of us goes away they do not die.'

"Because they don't exist. There is only one of you. The rest are just hubs for the main one _. Servers_ for the main processor."

"Good way to put it Jaune!"

"We are all servers. Kind of."

"All of us are capable of independent interactions."

"But we don't value our own safety."

"As long as the main is alive we are all alive."

"There is no we."

"Just _I.'_

"But you can't die. You are immortal. That means! When we were in danger from execution!"

"You. You were in no danger."

"We were fine."

"We might have had our head blown off for a moment, but we would be back the next second."

"So you are just... here?"

"Yup!"

"We are here!"

"But w _hy!?_ Why stay in Bastion! You can't be killed! Why not leave and go somewhere anywhere else?"

"Leave Bastion?"

"Why would we leave Bastion?"

"To get out! To go somewhere else!"

"Where would we go?"

"We have no reason to leave."

"We have friends! And Kage!"

"Who despite! Having a literal harem! Of beautiful women that could be at his beck and call will not even look at us!" One of the Mika's pouted as Kage rolled his eyes.

"I am not getting in that."

"Oh? That's not what you said the first day we met."

"You definitely got in _that_ then. What makes this time any different?"

"Because now I value my life? Just because you are immortal does not mean that I am. And I do not want to die."

"Don't worry!"

"You will not die!"

"We will protect you!" The Mika's said in once more perfect order.

"So you said that you all have a limited lifespan. That you will disappear if you do not stay within a certain radius of the main one?"

"Yup!"

"That's it!"

"Good work on the uptake!"

"Ok then if that is so true I'm going to need you to show me."

* * *

"OK! There you go!" Mika said holding out her arm as Jaune balked. Her arm shimmered and vanished? Like the image of a bad computer screen. The duplicates area was now well outside the ten-foot area and ultimately disappeared into thin air. Only a thin hazy white mist like that of a glitching monitor filled the air where it once was.

"So you don't feel any pain?"

"I can't!"

"Even in this split form, we are all still the same person!"

"We can't feel pain naturally, so we don't feel it now."

"Do you even bleed?"

"Bleed?"

"Not really. Only the original can bleed.'

"Or at least regularly, we can bleed if we take physical damage."

"But leaving our area does not count."

"So you don't feel pain or bleed even when your arm half is gone?"

"Nope!"

"Not at all!"

"And none of you mind not existing?"

"We do exist."

"We always will."

"If we vanish it's not like we are going anywhere."

"Then why don't you all go outside the sphere?"

"Is that an order ~boss man~?"

"Yes. Yes, it is." Jaune said cocking his head curious to see what the Mika's would do and-

"OK!" They all said as the copies began to walk forward. The one closer to the door the one already missing an arm walked out and poofed! Out of existence. The others followed suit turning into misty whiffs of white before vanishing into thin air. As the seven other's vanished Mika the real one was left alone in the back of the room smiling ear to ear.

"So are they dead?"

"Dead? Jaune they are not, they were not alive. I am alive they were merely an extension of myself."

"But they died, they don't exist anymore."

"What? Of course, they do. As long as I'm alive, they live too. And I can't die!"

Mika cried as-

FISHT! Zach lit an old piece of wood on fire heating up a bayonet as he smiled.

"The hell are you doing!?" Jaune shouted as another spark of flame came from the inside of his room.

"Trying a weapon test blondie, I wanted to see if I superheated my blade if the dust will run off-

"Put that away!"

Mika yelled already behind Ruby. The girl leaped away from the flamed as-

"The fuck? You scared of a damn fire?"

"What? NO! I'm not scared of fire!"

"I hope that you are not. You don't get to be scared of fire your weapon is a damn flamethrower!" Zach said as Jaune narrowed his eyes. The boy had a point Mika was scared? Her emerald eyes went wide in panic. Jaune had not seen her like this, her limbs shaking and twitchy. Her teeth chattered in rapid motion as Jaune stepped in.

"Mika? Are you scared of fire?" Jaune asked already knowing the answer it was not impossible for her to be just very unlikely.

"What? Scared of fire? Jaune, you joke! How could I be scared of fire? I love fire!"

"I would hope so your weapon is a flamethrower. It would be awkward for you to be scared by your own fire."

"I know right? Now, how about we all get some sleep! I know I am tired!"

"I guess? Fuck it, Hino, we leaving?"

"Only if you say so."

"Krix?"

"I'm out of this shit show for the foreseeable future. Seeyah." The visiting students said, her, Hino, and Zach walked out of the room leaving Jaune mouth wide open as-

"So you can clone?"

"I can! You saw me do it!"

"Can you do it before you almost die? Is it hereditary?"

"I don't know, but I can't die as long as I have an aura, and I heal when I split."

"You can't be killed," Jaune said the dawning of a literal immortal on his team still smacking him across the head as Mika nodded.

"Yup! I am immortal! The pangs of death will never enter this mortal form! For I am the god Teph! And the power that flows through me is that which flows through all the gods for all time!"

'But you're afraid of fire." Ruby's words hit Mika like a hammer. The girl freezing on the spot as she cracked a crooked smile and slowly painfully slowly turned to face Ruby.

"Ruby! Why would you say that?"

"Because every time there is a wild burst of fire that you do not control you seem to run away from it like it's the plague."

"I don't run away from fire! That's ridiculous!" Mika said rubbing her head taking a step back as Jaune frowned.

"You did it twice. Once when Zach lit the box on fire by accident and the other when he lit the shard of wood on fire. Both time you reacted like you would be killed if you so much as breathe the air around it.'

"That's not what you think! Ruby you don't get it, Jaune! You get me right?"

"I do but Mika you were scared of fire. That's not bad actually it's kind of funny! You use a fire-based weapon, but you are scared of fire? Why is that?"

Jaune asked a small smile on his face as Mika looked away. Her green eyes looked everywhere but his as she gulped loudly.

"I'm not scared of fire! I just don't like it to be going around everywhere! You know I want to to be in a nice uniform area!"

"So you don't like wildfire?"

"Yes! That is what I was trying to say! I don't like wildfire! I like my fire safe and under my own control! As long as my fire is my fire, it's all good!"

"But you don't like it just there."

"Yes! Think about it you would not want bullets flying at you, would you? The only bullets you want are the ones that fly from your gun and the ones of the people on your side! You don't just want bullets everywhere now do you?" Mika asked as Jaune nodded she had a good point there.

"I can see that, but do try to not lose it on a mission. It would suck if the fire specialist was burned." Jaune said a small smile on his lips as Mika frowned.  
"Good point Jaune, I think it would be unfortunate if you were charred," Kage said in an oddly amused voice as Mika stuck out her tongue.

"Blah! Jaune! Kage is teasing me!"

"And?"

"Make him stop!"

"Kage?"

"Yes?"

"Do what you want."

"Can I shoot myself?"

"It won't kill you."

"If I don't have enough aura I might get lucky."

"Don't kill yourself Mika will be sad."

"Yes, I will!" Mika said as Jaune heard it, a fisht! Filled the air as Ruby's eye flashed a small white light filled the air as the reaper frowned.

* * *

"Good to see you all again! Nice work on the mission!" The loud voice of Mac shouted as Jaune nodded. The leader of the Piercing Lancers welcomed team Arkham back into their control room as they reported for their next mission.

The command center of the Lancers was much like it was before Arkham arrived. Massive data screens of terminals and people, human and faunus, scuttering around in jet black armor with Mac standing at the head. This time he was dressed in thick brown fur and had a broad smile on his pale face. His brown eyes shimmering as Jaune grimaced.

"Mac. We have come for the new mission? What are we doing this time?" Jaune asked trying to cut to the center of the problem right away.

"Don't worry about this one it's simple. You just have to go neutralize a Grimm zone near a small town. No valued supplies no major risk just kill some Grimm, and you will be done."

"There, simple. We can do this." Ruby said pumping her fist as she smiled, her silver eye gleaming as her bionic one shot out of her head.

"Not even you could fuck this up," Kage added making Jaune wince.

"Mac, that last mission."

"Yes?"

"We were in a bad spot. A spot that almost got my team and me killed."

"I know, and I would just like to say thanks. You did what any member of the Piercing Lancers would have done."

"What?"

"Jaune you picked to save civilians rather than the dust. Dust is valuable, but it's not a living breathing thing. Like a person. You saved lives on that day Jaune, and I can not thank you enough."

"You... you wanted me to save the civilians?"

"I did. Had you not saved them? And picked the dust you would have been kicked out of the Lancers right away."

"So what was that a trial run for us? Were you seeing what we would do in a rough situation?"

"You might say that. We need to see what all of our new members might do. We have heard of your reputation from others but we needed to, or I needed to make sure. Consider it a test."

"A test!? You almost got us killed!"

"But you did not. You survived."

"We almost died!"

"But you did not die. In fact, you fought your way out of a certain death situation not once but twice."

"We almost died!"

"And you did not. And besides, if you can't work your way out of two certain death situations, you have no business being in the Lancers." Mac added as Jaune's eye twitched.

"Is there anything else, you want to tell me?"

"Besides good luck? Not really. Good job in the town again. If you'd like I can give you a redacted log for the thing you encountered."

"The creature?"

"Yes. As you know it is an insidious creature you I bested once before."

"So he thinks," Mika whispered as she shook her head Ruby's eye shook as it zoomed back.

"I know that. I fought it." Jaune hissed his back shuddering as he and Kage had a shiver.

"I know, and I respect your triumph. The thing likes to imitate to infiltrate. It can become anything or anyone. The only way to truly kill it is to burn it. The creature has an innate fear of flames it's one weakness, so a way to tell if someone is a duplicate is to test them with it."

"A fear of fire is a biological device."

"Kage is right. Being afraid of fire does not make you a duplicate. It can just make you human right?"

"That is one way to say it Jaune but be careful. You never know who could not be human. Now! Since the last mission from us had such a... mixed result for this mission we will be assigning you some support."

 _"Support?_ Who are you giving us?" Jaune asked as the man grinned.

* * *

"Listen up! I want everyone to pay attention and pay attention well! Cause I'm not saying this twice!" A loud feminine voice said as Uzepi shouted. The woman struggled to be heard over the Vesperia's thrusters as she spoke to team Arkham.

"You are as of this moment full and integrate members of the Piercing Lancers! As such you are all now privileged to the alert system!"

"Alert systems? The hell does that mean?" Jaune asked trying to be heard as well as the purple-eyed woman grinned a wolfish smirk.

"Simple! The Lancers have a color-coded alerts system to identify, track and find out the size, type and current level of danger to Bastion!"

"So an early warning system?"

"Exactly Blondie! Here is how it goes! Your scrolls will show you at the beginning of the day the color of the alerts system. The colors go from, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and black! With increasing levels of danger per threat level!"

"So what do they mean!?"

"Well Red! Since you asked so nicely! Blue is no threat! Whatever problems ail Remnant are not affecting Bastion and! There is growth in the community! Green means all systems are operating and Bastion is under no critical danger. Yellow means there is a possibility of a threat but not an imminent one!" Uzepi grunted as a wave of turbulence hit the craft buffeting it making her latch onto a handhold for stability.

"After Yellow comes orange! Which means that there are serious and confirmed threats to Bastion that are mobilizing. Red is a threat that's clearly present and attacking. The enemy is at the gates. Then!"

"Then black?"

"Not so fast Ruby! Before that is Code Red _Rubicon!"_ Uzepi said smiling widely as Ruby blinked in a curious manner. Both of her eyes _winking_ in thier own awkward way.

 _"Rubicon?"_

"Yes! Rubicon is an attack by an unknown enemy. Something we have no idea what it is big it's deadly and here."

"And then?"

"And then! Then it is black. Black is the last stand. The end of the Lancers. If it's code Black, the end is here kiddos. And it's time for one last hurrah! Before we all go into the night."

"What's today's alert level?" Jaune asked checking his scrolls as a new app had been put in. It read threat detector, the color was green.

"It's green today kids! So it looks good for Bastion!"

"So black is the worse?"

"Almost Kage! A hard Black is the worse!"

"A _hard black?_ What's that?"

 _"Red_ , a hard black is the worst case scenario. You see everything happens in stages from blue to green and so on. If it jumps? From any color but red to black? We are going to be in for one helluva time." Uzi said smiling widely as the ships PA crackled to life.

 _"T minus two minutes to the drop site! Get ready! I'm putting you down in the middle of the pack!"_ Kiara said as Jaune nodded.

"Good job Kiara! We'll take it from there!"

"You got it! Good luck you guys!" The pilot said as the ship's lights glowed red. The ship began to fall as the lights flicked and grew a sharp red. A baleful crimson light illuminated the interior of the hull along with a low hiss of white steam that filled the bottom of the ships hull giving a truly hellish appearance as Jaune stood up. Readying his weapons as he nodded to his team.

"Ok! Arkham! Ready up! I want this taken care of by the book!"

"Got it."

"As you say ~boss man~!"

"I'm with you!"

"Uzepi what's your plan?"

"Plan? What plan?" Uzepi said grinning as the ship took a sharp turn making all members r grip on to hand hols to help keep their footing as it took a sharp seventy-degree turn before a loud KEXHRT! Filled the air as the landing ramp was lowered. A gust of icy wind slipped inside the ship as a roar of ice and snow followed by the howls of Grimm filled the air.

"I don't have one!"

"You don't!? Why not?"

"Why would I? We don't have a town near us! We just have a horde of Grimm! What plan do we need besides to kill them to the last damn mutt!" Uzepi said before running out the craft jumping out as Jaune growled.

"Everyone! Follow me! Let's do this quick."

* * *

The battle went well.

"Kage!"

"I see them!" The boy shouted twirling on his heels twin pistol sounded twin resound booms filled the air as they snapped their shots off.

The two Ursa that had been plowing towards them fell back their heads pulped into a red paste as the shells plowed into them. Their necks vanished a second later as the explosive charges went off as Jaune nodded.

"Ruby!"

"I see them!" She yelled snipping the few Griffons that still remained. The sharp cracks! Of Crescent Rose sounded, the sniper rifle filling the air with its deadly ammunition.

"Uzepi!"

"Already there!" The woman said pushing up taking a head from a Beowulf before twirling her pistol raised and firing into the air the woman grinned adding her energy pistol purple fire to the anti-air effort.

"Good! Now keep this up!" Jaune said his mask prevent the whirling snow from impacting his visor yanking his sword from the chest of a Creep killing the Grimm in an instant. The monster fell back as Jaune raised his pistol firing twice melting the faces of another two Ursa as the Grimm fell in droves around them a smile split his face as the battle was going well...

* * *

"That was good! We kicked butt!" Ruby said smiling her one real eye closed in a happy look as her bionic one twirled Jaune nodded, his helmet off allowing his face to breathe. The battle was won and not a damn scratch on them, that was a first.

"It was a good run. We all did well." Jaune said, and he did not exaggerate. The five of them had done well. The Grimm had not even come with a half mile of the town. The horde was cut down before they could even prove a credible threat. The team had decimated them, and now they were on their return trip.  
"I got to say it is nice to not have our very existence threatened for a change."

"Funny Kage. I'm glad I have your support." Jaune said sighing as the boy rolled his eyes. His shiny new red combat armor gleamed in the craft's once again pale light as he put his hand behind his head and closed his eyes.

"That's why I'm here. Support."

"So he says. Uzepi how long till we get back to Bastion?" "Four or five hours. All of you follow Kage's example and take some damn Z's." The woman said yawing once as-

DING! The sound of a scroll ringing filled the air, as all of team Arkham's scrolls rang out at once and-

 _FITOM!_

"The ships changing course," Mika said sitting up her voice calm and neutral her eyes sharp as she turned to face the head of the ship as it took a sudden sharp turn. Shaking and groaning from the effort as the ship tilted.

 _"UM! We have a change of destination! I just received orders form Ludo himself, we are not going back to Bastion right now!"_

Kiara said panic clear in her voice as-

"Um! Jaune! What is this!?" Ruby said looking at her scrolls as Jaune looked down.

"Fuck me. Boss!" Kage yelled as Jaune looked down and froze. The Bastion alert system had gone off. The color had changed, it was no longer green but now a dark pitch black.

"Uzepi? What is this?" Jaune asked a sudden feeling of ice water splashing on his veins. The scroll was black as night, the color of tar and-

"Uzepi?" Jaune asked the adults face no longer cool or cocky, but now shaking. Her lips twitched, and her breathing was hard and shallow. She gripped her scroll with two hands as-

"Oh, this can't..." The woman said as-

"Uzepi! What's going on!?"

"It's code _black_ Blondie! It's a hard black!" The woman said panic in her voice as she shook. Her body trembled like a leaf in a storm as-

"What does that mean!?"

"It means that shit's going _down!"_

"What!? What's happening!?"

"I don't know! Wait a second! We are going to get instructions soon and then we'll know what the hell is happening!" The woman shouted her voice trembling as if she was facing down certain death.

"Jaune!? What's going on?"

"It's ok Ruby. We are going to be ok! Just calm down." Jaune said gripping his best friends hand to calm her shaking form as-

 _"Um! Hello! I just got news from Bastion! We have a new destination!"_

"Where!?" Jaune yelled as he heard Kiara whimper.

 _"We! We are going far off course! We will need to refuel mid-air to get where we are going!"_

"Where are we going, Kiara?!"

 _"Sending coordinates to your scroll!_ " Kiara said as all the scrolls buzzed as a download bar appeared showing a slowly filled green, blue lien that once load showed a line of coordinates and a flight path. The Vesperia was peeling away from Bastion going far, far south and-

"The _Grimmlands!?_ " Kage gagged the boy's eyes flying open as Jaune felt his heart freeze. The ship was on a dead corpse to the heart of the Grimm Lands. The ship was taking them to the middle. Of the most hostile areas of Remnant-

"Grimmlands?! Why are we going there?!"

"I don't know Ruby. But don't worry-

 _"Ludo!"_ Uzepi yelled yelling into her scroll as-

"What the hell is going- Her voice died in her that as a low tremble appear in her arm. Her skin lost any of the limited colors it had going white as a sheet as she began to tremble.

"Sir I... but! I! I! I see... I...I understand sir...I _will."_ The woman said her scroll hanging up her arm falling down a look of pure defeat in her purple eyes as-

'We... we are going to the Grimmlands." The woman said her voice trembling as-

"What!? Why!? What the hell did Ludo say!?"

"He said that we are the only ones that can do this. Time is of the _essence."_ Uzepi repeated as if on autopilot as Jaune gagged.

"What does that mean!? What are we going to do in the Grimmlands!?"

 _"UM! I know I should not say this but! I've checked our fuel requirements! And we will not! Even after our refueling have enough left in the tank to make it back to Bastion!"_

"What!? Why? What about the refueling ship!?"

 _"At best? We can make it halfway back! The shipping won't fill us up!"_

"Why not!? Why the call won't they fill us back up!?"

 _"Because they don't have enough fuel! They are not carrying enough to top us off!"_

"Why not? What are they crying!?"

" _Weapons! We are being refueled and armed to the teeth! With our new weight, we won't get even half! Of my estimates back to Bastion!"_ Kiara shouted her panic rising as Ruby whimpered.

"Jaune? What are we going to do?" Ruby said as Jaune growled.

"Don't worry Ruby, it's going to be ok! We are going to be okay-

 _Ding!_

All scrolls rang out as once as Jaune's head flew down to his scroll where two simple white liens were written on a pure black surface. Two on the top three on the bottom that read-

 **Mission Assassination Target location. _Grimlands._**

 **Target name: _Salem..._**

* * *

 **AN: And there we go! Another day another chapter! This one we see the _reveal_ of Mika's semblance! The Arkham crew gets thier act together! And then... Salem. Yup! We are at the end of the first pillar of Bastion! The final two chapters come! As we get to see the final first fight of team Arkham versus Salem... Now! Onto other things, Game on is not next! The brand new series The Apprentice is next! If you liked Game on but want a bit less terrible world for Jaune! You'll like it! And if you like a strong Jaune fic? You'll love it. Until next time! _Omake..._**

* * *

 **Hero of Remnant Volume two. _Sister twister._**

Jaune was having a bad day, no, to call Jaune's day terrible would be like saying that Ren had a minor case of politeness. Or that Ruby had a slight! Preference for cookies. Speaking of Ruby, the new commander of his regiment was currently doing her best to keep his head on his shoulders, and to stop his body from being reduced to a smoldering heap of ashes.

An odd fact seeing how that Ruby was the one to put him into this situation in the first place.

"You tried to shoot her!?" The furious and seething voice of Yang Xiao-long Jaune's once! A good friend, poker buddy, and overall someone he trusted to not try to melt him into a pile of slag said waving her custom weapon a nasty looking combi-flamer. That had not just promethium, and a bolter slung underneath it.

"I had every right too! She was unfit for command!" Jaune shouted tiring to not be turned into a pile of using limbs as Yang waved her weapon around Ruby holding onto her arm for dear life trying and failing to weigh Yang down and stop her from killing her commanding officer.

"You tried to shoot my sister!" Yang yelled her flamers third not so hidden barrel some type of melta weapon glowing violently orange making Jaune gulp!

"I was well within my rights as a commissar!"

"She's my sister!"

"She was not fit for duty!"

"I'll end you!"

"STOP! NO FIGHTING!" Ruby shouted in a voice far more authoritative than Jaune thought possible from the young woman. She, so sharp Yang froze as her eyes lost some but not all of their red.

"Ruby-

'No Ruby! Jaune was well within his rights to do what he did!"

"He tried to shoot you!"

"Only if I didn't do my job!"

"But!"

"Which is his job Yang! In case you didn't know! Commissar Jaune did nothing wrong!" Ruby said finally stopping Yang's waving of her deadly and ludicrous weapon that could kill tanks like they were Grimm in a tankers sights or Cookies in front of Ruby.

"Jaune is my commissar! He is my leader, and he is the man that saved a whole city!"

"Ruby-

"No Yang! You do not get to threaten my friend!"

"Commander Rose..."

"Sir! Sorry, sir!"

"It is of no issue. I must apologize, I might have acted a bit rashly during the initial start of our visit. I might have acted, and I did not mean to sour our relationship." Jaune said in a smooth voice as Yang sighed.

"I... I'm sorry. I overreacted." Yang said her temper falling as she breathed in and out. Letting her anger bleed out and regaining her calm.

"Ok. I'm sorry."

"Sorry!? You threaten to kill a commissar!"

"I've done that to you before."

"Does that make it better?!"

"No, but if I can't threaten my friends who can I threaten then?"

"Your enemies for one! That would be infinitely better than threatening me!"

"Aw Jaune! Don't be like that! You know you love me!"

"That's beside the point! You can't threaten a commissar! Save that for the enemies!"

"Enemies? Jaune! Don't you know? I don't have enemies! I look damn too good, besides who can even try to hurt me? I'm amazing!"


	44. Pillar one, Dungeon crawler

**AN: OK! Almost there! Bastion is about to be finished with he first _pillar!_ The team infiltrates the palace of the damned! They encounter the _enforcers_ of the mysterious Salem and one of them even has a one on _one_ meeting with the big bad herself! All this and more in this chapter of Bastion!**

* * *

The interior of the bullhead pause, time froze and ground to a terrifying halt as Jaune red the word on his scroll.

 _"Salem?_ Who the hell is Salem?" Jaune asked as he looked up to his teammates.

"Kage?" Jaune asked the wide-eyed brown-skinned boy as he paused.

"I got nothing boss."

"Fuck. Ruby? You know anything about a Salem?"

"N-no!" The girl said her mechanical eye zooming out of her skull, peering onto her scroll as it whirred.

"Mika?"

"I have an idea."

"And that is?"

"Not good."

"No shit," Kage added as Uzep swore.

"Oh fuck me! The Grimmlands?! Who the fuck lives in the god damned Grimmlands and why do we have to kill them!?" The woman asked her hands gripping her scroll her purple eyes wide with fear as Jaune stood. Up. He needed, and she would give them to him by will or by force.

 _"Uzepi."_

"Not a good time Blondie!"

"Now is the perfect time," Jaune said his gaze meeting Uzepi's hard cobalt met bright purple as he snarled.

"Where the hell are we going?"

"You hear me! We are going to the fucking Grimmlands!"

"Why? Who is Salem?"

"I don't fucking know! I was asking Ludo that just now!"

"And? What did he say?"

"He just said that more information would be given as we progressed! He didn't say shit!" Uzepi said her voice rising to an awkward degree. The usually stoic cocky woman was shaken her pupils shook and widened, her body was shaking like there was a wire in it as Jaune frowned.

"So you don't know anything?"

"I know we are about to get into some deep shit!"

"Fuck me. Does anyone have any insight!?"

"I think we need to get ready for the worst, we are going to the worse part of Remnant Jaune. This planet is already dangerous for humans we need to prepare for whatever we are getting into." Mika said her voice perfectly flat and calm as she began to clean her hatchet.

"We don't know what we are attacking, but we know that is important enough for Bastion to declare an emergency to do so. We must think that this is the worse." Mika added her eyes locked onto her weapon as Jaune saw them simmer.

"Mika you make a lot of sense, ok! Arkham I know this is looking bad and I know we are going into some shit! But I need you all to keep it together. We are going to be in a bad spot, but we are going to get out of it!"

"And what _is_ our plan boss? Cause breaking into a random ass part of the most hostile place on Remnant to hunt down and kill a random person who is bat shit crazy or impossibly strong enough to be in or worse to live! In the fucking Grimmlands is not on my idea of things to do." Kage added already taking apart and putting back together with his pistols as Jaune sighed.

"I don't know what we are going to do, but I know how we are going to do it. We are going to go in there, stick together work as a team! Kill this Salem person and get the hell out of there in one piece ok?" Jaune said as Arkham gave him a suspicious look the moral of the team plummeting as even Ruby looked like she did not think highly of their mission success chances.

"Look! I know I don't agree with him, but Blondie is right. He makes a good point, we don't know what we are getting into here but moping around and acting like a bunch of bitches won't save our asses. If we are going to pull out this and I do intend to pull out we need to keep our heads down and our guns up."

"She's right, we need to keep our heads up and stay focused. This isn't the first time we've been tossed into the fire, and I will be damned if this ends up being the last. Team Arkham always pulls out, no matter what is tossed in our way."

Jaune said as some light came back to his team.

Ruby gave him a soft smile flashing him a thumbs up as her mechanical eye whirred back into her skull. Not glaring as baleful as it used to do.

"I believe in you Jaune," Ruby said smiling evenly as Jaune returned in.

"I mean if it comes down to getting killed and killing something else I vote to always kill. So I'm with this last ditch hurrah! Or whatever the hell we are calling it." Kage grumbled as he let out a sad sigh as he refitted his pistols.

"Thanks for the support but we are not going to make a last hurrah today Kage. Our last hurrah is not going to come so long as I am the leader."

"Great. We have an idealist for a leader, I've been on suicide missions with worse, I guess."

"I believe in you Jaune! Let's go and kick some eldritch horror ass!" Mika said pumping her fist into the air as Jaune cocked his head.

"Did you say _Eldritch horror?_ Why the hell did you say that?" Jaune asked not sure why she used the words Eldritch horror? What the hell did that even mean?

"Oh don't you worry about it Jaune! I'm just thinking ahead." She said her voice low, and resonation as Ruby's eye whirled out locking onto Mika as it glared at her.

"I see... well, in any case, we need to be ready Eldritch horror or not we have to be prepared, Kiara!"

"Yes?! What's up!?"

"How long till that supply ship comes in?"

 _"Less than thirty minutes! We are going to be rearmed and I must! Stress that the ship is unmanned! It will only give us the weapons and leave! The ship will crash when it goes, away so we can not steal its fuel!"_

"Well, there goes _that_ plan." Jaune and Uzepi said as one as the locked eyes in a moment of mutual understanding before Jaune rubbed his head.

"Ok, the ships coming everyone gets ready, we have a mission to do."

* * *

The rearming or Arkham did not take long.

"Ok! Bring it in!" Jaune yelled the howling air from the outside entering his ears as the backdoor to the Vesperia was opened mid-air.

Kage and Mika both went up pulling on a large black monolith type device. It was league dark and bulky. It had several compartments and lockers on it and reminded Jaune of some type of pure black clock tower?

"OK! That's it!" Jaune yelled as the pulled the strange object in the craft as a loud pneumonic hissing! Sound was heard as the Vesperia finished getting what little fuel it would need for its journey.

 _"Docking complete! We are about to depart!"_ Kirara said as the ship shuddered. The craft bucked and rolled as the unmanned craft departed it's thrust flying away taking the bullhead off somewhere into the night as Jaune sighed.

"Ok! Ok! Everyone! This is it! I don't know what's in these lockers but take whatever you think is necessary!" Jaune said as low hiss! Filled the air, the back of the ship rose up silencing the roar of the wind allowing only the sound of the vessel owns internal air recycling fill its interior with a low hum.

"Holy shit," Kage said as he pressed a locker as several racks of weapons spilled out. Large blocky assault rifles along with racks on racks of ammunition hung out.

Jaune counted assault rifles, snipers, SMG's, pistols, and several small circulars and blocky objects that Jaune counted as grenades as-

"Oh my god! That'a Jarga XKLR! And that's a Vaco Havoc mark seven!? Those are illegal! Oh! A Sonic resonator!? That was never built!" Ruby said her fack eye zooming in and out her real one shimmering with anticipation her inner gun nut coming out as-

"Plasma grenades, and Xfour? Fuck my life this is serious." Uzepi said picking up a small circular object, and a thick, blocky one that looked like a delivery satchel with a _This end up_ place on it's front.

"This is _real_ hardware kid. Whatever we are going to kill it's serious." Uzepi said already moving to pocket the grenades as Jaune grimaced.

"Kiara! Do you know what the hell of these things are?"

 _"Weapons sir! Weapons and bombs! I don't know exactly what's in there but I suggest that you get whatever the hell you need! I don't know what is going to be in that landing zone so I'd suggest you don't take any risks!"_

"We won't, Arkham! Take what you need."

As the team armed themselves, Jaune found that very little about them changed. They all fought with custom weapons so picking up a random gun no matter how good it was that was not your tried and truly seemed like a bad idea.

Ruby had to be almost consoled when her favorite guns were too heavy for her. Not in the sense that she could not lift them her augmented body was much stronger than it used to be, but the weapons took her off balance, and she was reduced to putting several pistols and an SMG on her side.

Jaune was similarly armed, he put a simple SMG hooked to his side with a magnetic attachment and a few more grenades on him.

Kage faired a bit better, he had slung two of the bulkier rifles on his shoulders. The boy was better able to carry them and had opted for a simple assault rifle and a battle variant that fired in three shot burst and had a considerably longer range.

Mika had not gotten much if any arms, she simply took some explosives of her own choosing she called them Melta and sticky charge citing it would help them chew through walls if they found any.

"Ok! That's it, Kiara! You got anything new?" Uzepi asked cock an SMG as she turned up to the Pa system.

 _"Yes! I have been given a scan of the area! I know what you are getting into, here is a visual, sending to your scrolls!"_ The pilot said as Jaune turned to his scroll where a loading screen popped up as he saw a diagram pop out.

"Is... is that a palace?" Kage asked as what looked like a medieval castle? It was a tall structure that looked like a literal medieval palace. It was massive with imposing walls buttresses that reached out into the sky and several large towers on it.

"That is a palace." Jaune said as he blinked rapidly, who the hell had a palace surrounded by Grimm?"

"The fuck is this? Why is there a building in the Grimmlands!? WHo the fuck lives there?!" Uzepi demanded shaking her scroll as Jaune sighed.

"Ok. Everyone calm down."

"It's like a fairy tale!"

"Ruby this is more like a nightmare you know?"

"I like it! I wonder if a lonely princess is waiting for us to rescue her!"

"Mika this is an assassination mission, not a rescue."

"So we will not rescue anyone?"

"If there is someone in need of rescuing and we have the time, and we complete our mission then yes we will rescue all we can," Jaune said earning a supportive nod form Ruby as he looked over the schematics.

The palace as it was now called was huge. It had several floors with long winding corridors. The schematics were very detailed marking entry and exits that could be used for possible intrusions, all leading to what looked to be a throne room in the center of the area. Making Jaune narrow his eyes.

"There. There in the middle that looks like a throne room."

"A throne room where someone is likely to try to fucking rule. God dammit this is a palace."

"Exactly and if it is that, then it has a ruler, and every ruler should never be far from their throne."

"Wait a second, what the hell is _that?"_ Uzepi asked as Jaune turned to the mystery of the _monolith._

The massive object had when opened begun displaying a clock, on its front or what looked to be a clock at first but then revealed itself to instead be a timer that was ticking down.

And a timer that ticked down was never a good sign.

"Not going to lie a timer that ticks down is usually a bad thing," Kage added his brown eyes flicking to the time as Jaune nodded his head in agreement.

"I can see that but what the hell is it? And why is it counting down?"

"It's a bomb." Mi words silenced the craft as all eyes turned to her.

"What?!"

"Simple Jaune that is a bomb a fusion one. Primitive but the best kind _this_ planet can produce."

"How do you know that?!"

"I am _pretty_ good with technology really. But that's not the point, the point is that that bomb is insurance. Whatever or whoever we are going to kill since it has a name is dangerous enough for our success to be put in doubt."

"Then we have to make sure we kill it! Right?" Ruby asked as Jaune frowned.

"Kiara!"

 _"Yes, sir?"_

"Take us off course for a few seconds!"

 _"What? Why?"_

"I want to see something."

 _"OK!"_ The pilot said fear in her voice as the ship turned to the left. Inta the time sped up going from fine hours to under eight the numbers blurring down as-

"Back on course! Take us back!"

 _"OK!"_

"Did you see that shit?!"

"Yes, Kage I saw that shit. If that is a bomb-

"It's a bomb. Trust me."

"Ok. That bomb is tied to the ship. If we don't go exactly where we are supposed to it blows up killing us."

"Great. Now we are really dead." Kage drawled not looking too happy, or that bothered by his imminent death. More like he had just been told that a bar was out of his favorite drink than anything.

"Look no one is going to die here. None of us! Now Uzepi."

"Yes?"

"What do you know about storming a damn castle?"

 _"Besides_ take whatever you think will sell for a pretty lien?"

"Yes. Besides that."

"We need to be fast. We only have to kill one person. So we should make a line for the enemy throne."

"But what if they are not in the throne?"

"Then we _bait_ them, Ruby. We attack here. We have the Vesperia blow open a hole in the wall, and we breach."

"What if the place is guarded?" Kage asked now staring at his scroll as Jaune spoke the plan.

"Then we kill or incapacitate as need be. After that? We go find this Salem."

"What the hell does she look like? We don't have a physical description of the target just a name. How the hell do we deal with that? Just start asking around for a sight of her?"

"You are _assuming_ its gender. It might be a man, we don't know if it is a woman. The name can fit both."

"Salem is usually a woman's name Mika, but you make a point. We need to be sure, so some footwork is needed. Ok, so we break in then fight our way into the throne, figure out just who the hell this Salem person is and kill him her or it with _extreme_ prejudice ok?"

"Sounds good blondie but how the hell do we get out of here? We do not have the gas for the return flight."

"I think I have a solution to that, Kirara! You listening in?"

 _"Sir yes, sir!"_

"Good. Ok now assuming that we do have some fuel remaining how far can we get back?"

 _"Best guess? We can get a quarter of the way back to Bastion."_

"Worst?"

 _"Less than half."_

"Great. Ok, so when we are attacking some of us will hunt for some fuel to refuel the ship. I'm assuming there will be some in a fucking Grimm palace. Once inside if we can! We move the damn bomb out of our ship into the palace itself. It there is a big enough blast we can eve ride that someway out of it."

"That's a plan, in theory, that is. I have no idea how the hell that will work for this."

"Kage, we don't know how it will work but besides go in kill Salme do we have any other options?"

"Not really. I Guess we are going in then."

"Damn right we are. Now if anyone has a suggestion please this is the time."

"What kind of enemies do you think we will face? This is a structure in the Grimmlands. That means it was built by people. Who the hell could do that?"

Mika asked, but her eyes seemed to already know the answer.

"I don't know Mika, but whoever or whatever it is will be strong. We need to be ready for anything."

"Jaune! When we get out of here, how are we going to make it back to Bastion if we _don't_ get the fuel?"

"Leave that to me kid, I know how to get in contact with some of Bastions operatives. If! And I do mean if we make it out alive I can get us back home assuming we don't land in the fucking middle of nowhere that is."

"Good. Thanks, Uzepi."

"Don't thank me I'm just here to not die. And if we don't succeed my ass is grass just like yours."

"Welcome to the club, now you know how I feel."

"Hardy fucking har now let's get this over with."

"I agree, everyone we have a mission to do! I know it won't be easy, but we have to do it! Until then? Lock and _load."_

* * *

 _"Ok! We are almost there!_ " Kiara said as Jaune nodded, taking the tip of the team.

"Alright, remember the plan! We need to get in and out! Kiara, you are weapons free!" Jaune yelled as he heard the ship shudder, the twin missiles that the rearm craft had fitted onto thier wings flew off as Jaune counted down.

Five, four, three, two-

 _"Impact! You have an in!"_ Kiara yelled as Jaune nodded.

"Ok! Everyone! We are going in"! Jaune yelled as the ship banked taking a hard eighty-degree angle as it spun to its side allowing-

" _FUCK!"_ Kiara yelled as the ship rocked a massive wave of pressure passed through nearly sending the occupants to the floor as-

"Kiara?! What was that!?"

 _"A dragon!"_

"A what?!"

 _"A fucking Grimm dragon is here!"_

"What the fuck is a Grimm dragon!?"

 _"A big ass dragon!"_ Kiara yelled as the ship banked a massive roar filled the air that Jaune felt in his ones. The roar made all of them fall to their knees clutching their ears as-

 _"You need to go now!"_ Kiara yelled as they banked sharply as the landing ramp lowered. A roar of air along with another ear-splitting roar that made Jaune hell like his eardrums were going to burst.

"Jaune! That's loud!" Ruby said covering her ears as the ramp lowered. The vision that greeted Jaune was a massive hole blown in the side of the castle, the heavy flapping of wings filled his ears as he waved his hand forward.

"Everyone out! Now!" Jaune yelled as he ran all of his team sprinted Mika pulled Ruby out of the craft as the jumped. There was a brief feeling of weightlessness as team Arkham plus Uzepi hit the ground at once. Rolling as they did. There was a loud _THUD!_ As the monolith bomb slammed down after them along with the roar of engines as the Vesperia began to turn.

"Kiara! Get out of here!"

 _"You don't have to tell me twice!"_ Kiara said as they craft bankes sharply blasting out of sight as Jaunehear the heavy flapping of wings along with another ear-splitting roar that shook him to the very core making all of her team collapsed as a massive shadow flapped away.

Something gigantic flew away leaving Jaune and his team alone in the ruined section of a grand hallway. The hallway he was now in was massive. Filled with large stone pillars and walls all made of some type of onyx? The halls were draped with bright red tapestries, and the floor had a thick red carpet on it.

"Ok! You all know the plan! Stick to your objectives and let's get the hell out of here!" Jaune yelled as his four companions nodded.

"Right!" They all said as the Arkham broke up and sent on the offensive.

* * *

The plan was not complicated. Jaune had made a rough estimate of what his team needed to do to survive. Like Kiara said before they left it didn't matter what they did if they all died in the process means that even if! They killed this Salem? They still needed fuel to get back home.

So to improve this task, Jaune split his team up. Ruby, Mika, and Uzepi would go looking for fuel. The palace schematics showed several areas that Jaune guessed!

And he did _mean_ guess that could be used for potential fuel storage, Mika, Ruby, and Uzepi would look for fuel there and if worst came to worse they would attempt to find another way home if Kiara did not dodge the dragon. Jaune still had no idea what the hell that was.

Meanwhile, he and Kage would go looking for information. They needed to know what they were dealing with. To find out who or what this Salem was and learn how to kill it.

"Left!" Kage said as the two turned a hallway, doing their best to keep their feet moving. They needed to hit the throne room for some information. That was where Salem should be and-

"You there!" A loud booming voice said as a mountain of a man stood before them. He was a literal brick wall. Tall and broad with arms that rivaled tree trunks. He had a short, well-kept mane of black hair and skin the color of dark sand. His eyes were a light hazel color, and he was dressed in a tight green shirt and tan pants as-

"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" The man growled as Jaune and Kage both shared a worried look before Jaune opened his mouth.

"Well if we said we are here to not kill Salem what would you say?" Jaune asked as the man paused his eyes widening as he froze.

"You... you know who Salem is?" He asked a look of pure shock and horror in his face as-

"Yes and we are here to assassinate Salem," Kage added as the man growled.

"You won't touch her!"

"So it _is_ her?" Kage asked as the man froze. His rage subsiding as he took a deep breath.

"Enough. Come with me you two, you will not fight back."

"That's _one_ opinion I have another," Jaune said raising his plasma pistol as the man sighed.

"There doesn't _have_ to be any bloodshed today. Please put away your weapons, and I guarantee your safety." The man said, and for some reason, Jaune found no dishonesty in his voice, in fact, he sounded almost sincere? Jaune knew he was foolish, but he detected no lies coming from the man. He... the man was not lying...

"You... you don't want bloodshed?"

"Not if I can avoid the act. _Please,_ do not let us come to blows over this. You both are clearly well armed and strong young men. I'm sure Salem would love to add you as subordinates. Please, come with me." The man said his voice cool and calm not a hint of anger or irritation in it as-

"Sorry big man. As much as we would love to we kind of have to kill Salem." Kage said as the man's eyebrow twitched.

"Why? Who is your master? I guarantee they are not as powerful as mine."

"Does it matter? See these things on our necks? If we don't kill Salem, they blow our heads clean off our shoulders."

"That is _barbaric._ I can not fathom who would do that to children."

"Thanks, your words mean a lot."

"Wait... you I know your voice?"

"You... you do?"

 _"Jaune Arc?"_

"You got the wrong man, he's not-

 _"Venke Kage._ I knew I recognized the both of you. Bout of you are looking good for dead men. Tell me what's your secret?" The man asked a cocky grin on his face as Jaune and Kage shared a worried look.

"You know him, boss?"

"Never seen him a _day_ in my life."

"But he knows who the hell we are."

"I noticed.

"That's not good is it?"

"Probably not."

"It is not good or bad, now please put your weapons down, and come talk to my mistress. If you do not put your weapons down, I will make you."

"Sorry, we are tam Arkham, and we don't take kindly to being ordered around," Jaune said raising his plasma pistol and firing once. The superheated ball of gas shooting out impacting against the man's aura as the roared.

"Fine! If you will not come willingly, you will be brought in by force!" THe man yelled reaching into his pockets pulling out twin glowing orange shards of dust? And stabbing himself in the knees. The man screamed as he veins began to glow orange as he let out a terrifying bellow.

"What is he doing?!"

"Boss! I think he just injected himself with dust?!"

"The fuck does- Jaune never finished that sentence. The man moved with an impressive speed sprinting across the hall in a matter of seconds. Covering easily three hundred feet before Jaune could so much as blink!

A fist slammed into his chest and sent him flying back. Jaune gagged the air being forced out of his lungs as he was yanked off the ground.

"Boss!?" Kage yelled as Jaune hit the back of the wall with a sickening _crack!_ His aura flared, and his body armor cracked!

He felt his spine bend in a way that was fully unnatural and not healthy. Jaune eyes bugled and his mouth began to foam. He spasmed on the ground as another sickening crack! Filled the air as the monster slammed Kage against the wall. There was another sickening crack! Along with a single cry of pain from Kage as he slid down and thudded against the floor with a silent whump.

"Kage?" Jaune groaned he tasted blood in his mouth, his legs twitched and shook violently as the monster of a man sighed. His earlier anger all but vanished as he began to stalk over to Jaune.

His massive feet thudding onto the floor as he growled.

"I warned you both, I gave you the chance to come peacefully but no. You had to make this difficult, now you get to come to Salem broken.

The man said as one final thud! Filled the air as the massive booths, both larger than Jaunes head filled his vision. His eyes shaking with fear as they hid behind his gas mask.

"You two will both be brought before her. I'm sure she will be interested in both of them men who snuck into her tower." The man said reaching down as- _BANG!_ Twin bangs filled the air as the man spun, his legs pulled out the limbs pulled as if they were on a string. Twin yellow bolts crashed into his chest as Kage fired into him.

The man spun back the bolts yanking him off the floor the other boy battered his recently repaired crimson body armor cracked down the middle blood seeping down his lips as he aimed his guns. Bang! He fired again twin bolts slammed into his chest the man gagged the massive rouns burst into his body. Aura was not meant to protect against that. Ove nine hundred calibers of force crushed into him as the round broke past his aura and burrowed into his chest.

The mass reactive rounds tunneled into him before detonating twin massive explosions were heard along with a loud wet crunch! The man's chest burst, blood, and bone flew everywhere as he was slammed into the wall the man gagged, choked threw up a massive amount of blood but he did not die. He fought back up missing half of his enormous chest, eyes filled with fury-

Bang! Kage fired four more times. Every bolt hit the man in his chest tunneling into him before detonating as one. The mass reactive rounds bursting the man's chest tearing the top of his body free from the base killing him in one brutal motion.

The man fell without a word his top half ripped to shred only his messy torso remained as Kage groaned limping up to Jaune as he winced in pain.

"Boss? You ok?"

"I feel like shit."

"That makes two of us, get up we need to find the girls."

* * *

Ruby was _not_ having a good day.

 _ **"DOWN!"**_ Her eye shouted as Ruby fell to the floor her scythe rising up in a desperate attempt to save her own life as she threw herself to the floor. A loud _ting!_ Filled the air as her metal clanged against the long, deadly looking stinger of her adversary.

 _"OHOHO!_ Good! Good work little girl! You almost look like a threat!" The voice of the mad faunus said as Ruby fell back, the faunus that had intercepted her Mika and Uzepi acted like a force of nature. He surprised them during thier search for fuel and had forced them into what looked to be a kitchen of some sorts. Pressing the three females back as he began to toss them around the room with contemptuous ease.

"Die already!" Uzepi yelled hacking up a wad of blood, on hand clutching her side as a dark black liquid dripped from the back of her brown combat armor as she fired on him.

Her purple bolts impacting against his aura as he giggled. Dodging her remaining fire as he tucked and rolled out of her with preternatural grace.

 _"Naughty! Naughty!_ You need to learn your place girl!" The man yelled a flash of silver flew from his hands as twin gauntlets shot out from his hands.

He slammed into the woman landing one punch right in her gut. Uzepi crumpled like a house of cards. The woman gagged before the mad faunus tucked fore tossing her over his back slamming her right next to Ruby as she crashed into the wall with a heavy thud!

 _"Uzepi!"_

"I'm! Fuck! I'm fine kid. I just need a break." The woman said wiping a long line of blood from her lips as-

"No breaks for you!" The man said leaping forward, Ruby rolled dodging out of the way bringing up her gun as she froze.

"Stop that!"

 _"Ah! Ah!_ AH! Red! You can't do that! You don't want to risk anything do you?" The man asked yanking Uzpei up using her as a human shield. His long poisonous stinger dripped with purple poison as he ran it up to her neck.

"Let her go!"

"Not without a please!"

"Take the shot Red! Fuck this guy!

"Oh what a mouth on this one! I like my women to have a bit of fight in them!"

 **"Odds of a successful shot are twenty-three percent. _We_ don't have a clean shot."** Her eyes said as Ruby grimaced, her fingers twitched on her trigger as she glared at him.

"Oh? Is miss Red going to risk a shot? Do it! Do it Red! Show me what you got! I want to see how lucky you think you are!"

The faunus said cackling wildly as-

 _"Hah!"_ Mika yelled her battle ax flashing forward, slamming into the man and pushing him back.

"Hah! A sneak attack!? That's the spirit girl!" The man said twirling into her ax blade stepping into her guard and-

Fisht!

"Ger!"

"Mika!" Ruby screamed as his stinger slammed into her gut. His venom coated stinger entered her abdomen making her gag. Mika coughed gagged and stuttered, her body going stiff as he yanked out his barb with a wet _plop!_

The girl fell to her knees her veins becoming the color of an eggplant as her body shook. Blood leaked from her mouth as-

"Bad girl! You know that bad girls get punished right?" The man asked raising his barb as Ruby blurred. She didn't know if Mika's semblance would heal venom, but she didn't care!

He hurt her friend, and he was going to pay! Ruby blurred out slashing down with her scythe her blade slammed down right at the tip of his tail.

 _Fit!_

 _"AH!"_ The man screeched Ruby's blade slicing off his stinger making blood fly in mid-air as-

"You _BITCH!"_ The faunus screamed his hand lashing our gripping Ruby by the throat, the girl hagged the faunus yanking her off the floor and slamming! Her onto a kitchen counter! Ruby felt her bones or what was left of them crack! Under the pressure, she tasted blood and...lubricant in her mouth as she spat up blood. The man pressed a blade to her neck as he hissed!

"You little slut! I'm going to rip your throat out-

"Ruby!" A familiar voice yelled as a flash was seen as a ball of blue crashed into the man. A rolling ball of superheated plasma filled the air as the faunus howled. Falling off her as Jaune appeared in the room alone. His plasma pistol bearing a bright crimson color as Jaune walked in. His armor was pitted and cracked in some places, his gas mask was halfway off, one eye mirror shatter and his dark black armor were pitted with what looked like needle marks.

"You fool! I'll keel you!"

"Shut up will you!?" Uzepi shouted appearing behind him punching him in the back of his shin. The man hissed collapsing as he glared at the downed woman still bleeding profusely from the cut in her gut courtesy of his gauntlets.

"You bitch!"

"Fuck you," Uzpe said raising her pistol placing it right to his head and pulling the trigger. There was a loud fisht! As she fired, blowing out his brains in one motion as Jaune sprinted to the downed Ruby.

"Ruby!? Are you ok?!"

"I'm fine-

"Jaune?! Where is Kage?!" Mika asked as Jaune's eyes widened as he grimaced...

* * *

"Oh, _fuck me!"_ Kage yelled moving his head to the side as a tentacle shot past. He was literally being attacked by a mob of tentacle monsters. Floating black balls that shot out tentacle that could pierce his armor and treat it like paper.

"I've seen enough porn to know where _this_ is going." Kage drawled raising one of his added weapons the assault rifle once. Placing three shots. Braka, Braka! The weapon barked the sonic stakes slashed out cracking! The balls of the things making them fall to the floor as he smiled.

"Three down dozens to go!" Kage said before ducking back as even more of these things appeared. Floating at him in eerie silence as he sprinted down the hall.

"Fuck me, fuck me! I hope blondie is ok! I really don't want to be the leader!" Kage hissed taking a turn and seeing an out. He and Jaune were separated by these things, and now he was alone, alone but not quite dead.

"That will do," Kage said spotting what looked to be a vent, not too far from the ground.

"Better than waiting around to die!" He yelled as he slung the weapon over his back. Taking a deep breath and leaping up!

He barely caught on the end of the vent grunting in exertion as he forced his way up.

"Come on! COme on you!" He yelled pushing up yanking the bottom of the vent grunt once before he tore it off! The thing clattered to the floor as he pulled himself up.

"And they said gym never paid off." He grumbled shuffling his way into the air shaft away from the floating horrors as he did, know where that kind of porn needed and wanted to be nowhere near that. So with one and pointing a pistol forward the other covering his _backside, h_ e shuffled into the vents.

The journey into the vent's of this mad palace was not eventful thank Oum. He shuffled his ass as far into the labyrinthine set of vents as he grimaced it was far to tight for him, he was a big boy.

"Six one is good! Be a good boy! You are built like a fucking wall! Now, who's laughing?!" Kage growled barely fitting into the cold passage as he shuffled forward, his long trek of mind-numbing boredom finally ended up common to a grate.

"Finally! I'm out of here.' He hissed kicking the grate out and falling out. He landed on his feet with a heavy thud! Falling feet first as he froze.

"Oh fuck me. I had to land in the throne room didn't I?"

 _"Yes._ Yes, you die, and might I ask why you are in my palace?" A soft oddly soothing? A feminine voice asked a Kage grimaced and slowly painfully slowly turned around. Venke Kage was not a man to scare easy. Not at all, he had seen men, women boys girls ripped apart by Grimm. He had seen people tortured, shot, executed and hacked apart hell he had even done some of that himself.

He was a soldier by trade and a killer by _choice,_ but even he had his limits, he was only human and what stood before him terrified him.

It was a woman of that there was no doubt. A tall woman with skin that was white as chile, filled with thick red veins stood before him. Her eyes looked like red embers and glowed like _coals_ in a furnace. Her body was shapely impossibly so curvaceous in every sense of the word with a massive bust and a perfect hourglass figure that seemed to _spit_ in the face of physics. Her body resonated power and poise as Kage did the only thing he knew how when facing a superior enemy he raised his guns.

 _"Please."_ The woman? Said as she flicked her hand, instantly several black hands shot out of the ground removing him of his weapons sending them scattering across the floor as Kage groaned.

"Well, there goes that idea.'

"Did you think that would work?"

"I had to try."

"That you did now tell me _boy_ what are you doing in my home?" The woman asked her voice booming with power making Kage step back as even more hands appeared out of the ground in black inky pools as he groaned.

" _Oh fuck me,_ I should have stayed on the ship..."

* * *

"You lost him!?"

"Yes, Mika we got separated!"

"How!?"

"Tentacle monsters!"

Jaune said as he Mika and Ruby pressed on the throne room door. Kage's scroll tracker said he was inside and still alive thank Oum. His aura was up, and his vitals were good even if his heart rate was skyrocketing. Over two hundred beats a minute as Jaune sighed. Uzepi was taking a prisoner Watts? To find fuel for the Vespira that was dodging a literal dragon!? Of all things and-

"Ok! ON three we break!" Jaune said as all teens nodded as they formed up on the door Jaune in lead and Ruby on his right Mika on his left.

"You better hope nothing happened to Kage"!

"I do but less talking more acting! One, two, three!" Jaune yelled as he kicked the door to all three members or Arkham came in guns up and-

Time _stopped._ All three teens faces jaws dropped, weapons clattered to the ground, and a collective gasp was heard. Jaune felt his feet rooted to the ground as Ruby's jaw nearly fell off her face. Mika's eyes she tears or rage, pain, and _anger_ as she witnessed her partner being _violated._ Her fist clenched into balls as she saw the jaw-dropping mind-shattering horror in front of her as the teens froze time stopped coming to a grinding crashing halt as Mika _screamed..._

* * *

 **AN: There we go! Almost there! One more chapter until the end of the first pillar! It's been over a year but here we go! Jaune and the gang have come to the see Salem in person! Kage even has a _close and personal_ encounter with her! It's almost there! The next part ends the first pillar and then we have the start of pillar two! The _Soliloquy_ arc! I hope you enjoy! The next fic up is _The Apprentice!_ And it's finally an official fic so look forward to it! Until then? Omake...**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant volume two part three. _Family matters._**

"So are either of you going to tell me how the hell you are related?" Jaune asked taking another swig from his flask enjoying the Amesact that _wonderfully_ burned his throat.

"Well, first of all, we have different moms but the same dad," Yang said the sister sitting down putting her combi melter on the table taking out her own ornate flask that had several large flames on it as she took her own hearty swig.

"Same dad? Who the hell was he?"

"Yo know who Tai-Yang is?"

"The melee specialist who killed the beasts of the _Fell wall?"_

"Yup! That's our dad! He met my mom first. She was the leader of the Ordo of the Bloody claw.'

"The _Bloody claw!?_ The sister group that hates men that Bloody claw!?"

"Yup! That's the one!"

"He bedded the fucking _Matriarch_ of the Bloody claw!? But how?!"

"Simple! He challenged her to a one of one bare-knuckle fight! If he won she married him if she won he would be her slave for a month."

"That... that seems like a real one-sided deal to be honest.'

"Yeah... my mom was kind of arrogant back in the day, she didn't think a _mere_ man could bet her but! He has the Emperor's blessing! And he beat her within an inch of her life!"

"That... that's _almost_ romantic? In a weird Stockholm kind of way." Jaune said choosing his words carefully eying Yang warily as she laughed loudly, tossing her hair back as she smacked the head of the table.

"Nah! Mom totally loved him! She was looking for a man to beat her in a fight!"

"She was?"

"She's _really_ obsessed with being strong. That's why she was a Sister of battle! She wanted to find the only man brave enough to challenge her to a fight and then _beat_ her into submission! She loves him!"

"This explains _everything,"_ Ren said his voice low and flat as Jaune nodded, his best and well _only_ friends natural phlegmatic tone calming him somewhat as he turned to the other sister.

"And you? Tai beat your mom up before knocking a baby in her?"

"Nope! Aunt Raven got hurt in a fight with the Grimm! My mom was a general at the time, Summer Rose!"

"You are _her_ kid?! The first female general in history is _your_ mom?!"

"Sure is! When Yang's mom went down my mom took him inot her private quarters to comfort him! She got a bit _liberal_ with her liquor and bang! I was born nine months later!"

"Did... did she _date rape him?"_ Jaune asked as Ren nodded.  
"It seems so, she is a child of rape."  
"I... Ok... so you two are sisters?"  
"The best!"  
"I love her!"

"Great, now I need another drink," Jaune said taking another long swig of his flask finishing it off in one smooth motion as Ren sighed.

"Another?"

"Keep em coming Ren we have a _long_ day ahead of us.


	45. Pillar one Finale Amore

**AN: And here it is! The long-awaited Pillar one finale of Bastion! The end to the first arc and a _major_ reveal for all of team ARKM will take place! Or at least for the ones that do _not_ die that is... Find out in this chapter of Bastion!**

* * *

Kage was having a _bad_ day, or scratch that Kage had a bad existence. He started off an orphan, got into a hunter academy, got his team killed, joined the military, got kicked out of the military, or he went AWOL. Then he landed up with an explosive collar on his neck in a school for sociopaths and murderers now in a semi-consensual on the best days relationship with someone that was a bit more than human on a team with two innocent allies that did not deserve to be here.

One a blonde boy who was innocent as they came or he was until he started to get into the murder thing. And the other a girl that appeared innocent until she began to enjoy murder, but that was neither here, nor there now Kage was face to face with what might be the single most evil being to ever walk the front of the plant a thing called _Salem._

Her eyes glowed like red coals in her cockets her skin so white it was damn near translucent thick red veins appeared on her skin and she radiated a fearsome power that made Kage want to run away and put a bullet between his skull before she did much worse to the boy as she cocked her head.

"Tell me, _boy,_ why are you here?" Salem asked her voice resonated into the air he felt her booming voice in his bones as he gulped.

"Well if I said I was here because I did _not_ want to be? What would you say?"

"I would say that you have a horrendous series of luck."

"I see... Well, I would just like to say that I am _very_ sorry for breaking into your castle if you do not mind I'll just walk out of here and-

"Oh, I don't think I will just let you go..." Salem said pausing as a pool of inky black liquid appeared on his feet several long dark hands appeared out of it as Kage gulped.

"Well I mean if you want me to stay I guess I have no choice!"

"No, you do not..."

"Kage... _Venke Kage.'_

"Ahh, Venke there we go. Do you prefer Venke or Kage?"

"I... does it matter?"

"Of course it does you are a guest in my house and unlike you, I am _not_ so rude as to barge into another's house and not know the name of the one who I am attempting to... what was your intention in my domain again?"

"I didn't say?"

"Well spoken, I do not have time to dally with intruders. Especially ones not long for this world." Salem said more long, thin hands appearing out of the ground snaking up to Kage's side as he groaned.

"Oh come on, I don't want to kill anyone."

"So you did come here to kill me?"

"I... I did not really have much of a choice."

"So it was kill me, or you yourself will die then?"

"Yes."

"Well, I am sorry to say that whoever forced you is either hilariously misinformed or they are rather cruel for you see I can not be killed. I am immortal."

"Another one," Kage said as Salem paused as a look of genuine confusion crossed her pale face.

'You are not asking me questions? I just said I am immortal does that not peak your interests?"

"You are not the only one I know."

"Really?" Salem asked leaning in her chest pressing out of her black robe, Kage sighed, if he was going to die he was at least going to enjoy the view. Salem was beautiful her chest while not massive was far bigger than most women he placed her cup size at D. Her breasts were pushed out and in the same snow color of her skin, her body was _oddly_ attractive... A perfect hourglass figure with curves in all of the right places and-

"You are distracted? Not a good trait for one in your position."

"Is it so bad? If you are going to kill me, I might as well take in a view." Kage replied not caring about his imminent death, he did not want to die of course, but he was prepared for his death. All the time in Bastion made death a routine thing, one to be avoided yes but not one to be feared. That was what rookies did, they feared death he avoided it.

"View? What view are you looking at that is so breathtaking that you can take your attention off of me?"

"You," Kage said simply shrugging his shoulders he was dead it was time to enjoy life.

"Me? Are you distracted by me? I am going to kill you."

"And? I always knew a woman would kill me I'm just glad that I got to be killed by a beauty like you. Almost makes my life worthwhile-

"Beautiful? You... you think I'm beautiful?" Salem asked as Kage paused.

No. Way. The boy thought as he swore on his dead teammates that he saw red. Her pale cheeks did nothing to hide the blush as she blushed... She the vilest creature supposedly most evil creature on the planet blushed as-

"You... you think I'm comely?" The woman asked as Kage's mouth dropped for half a second before taking a deep breath.

"No. I think you are _gorgeous_." It was true she was easily top ten beauties on the plane top three and-

"Why! I! What makes me pretty?" Salem asked a hand twirling her hair as Kage's mouth began to twitch.

"You have eyes that shine like my armor, and hair the color of snow. You are easily a person." He added to make sure he conveyed he thought of her as a person, not a thing as he spoke.

"A person of considerable grace and maturity. You are clearly a wise person, and you are drop dead gorgeous, and a blind man can see that."

"I... well your eyes work well I'll give you that much. But why the compliments? Are you just trying to save your life?"

"I would be lying if I said no but you are beautiful I don't need to lie to say without a shadow of a doubt that you are the most attractive person that I have ever laid my eyes on. And it was an honor to have your grace my field of vision. And if I have to be killed by the most beautiful woman on Remnant, I am glad I got to bask in her presence before I go." Kage said taking a deep before walking forward, Salem paused her hands looking irritated as he took her hand. It was warm? Not cold at all it felt like a geyser of magma as he took her hand and kissed the top of it making her blush.

"You Salem are the most beautiful person on the planet, and I am blessed to spend time with you."

"You! You don't mean that!"

"I do."

"You lie!"

"I do not. I am a liar, but I will never lie about two things, my preference for drinks and the beauty of women. You are beautiful Salem let no one deny that."

"I! If you are really serious then sing!"

"You want me to sing?"

"Of course! If you really think a woman is beautiful, you sing for her! Ozmah sang for me..." She said a wave of sadness crossed her face as-

"Ozmah?"

"Never you mind! Now sing!"

"I need an instrument-"

"Here." She snapped her hands as a jet black violin mode of bone and dark matter appeared in a hand. Kage gulped gripping it, the thing was sickly sticky and-

"Now play for me and make the song good have _exquisite_ tastes," Salem said her crimson eyes glaring at Kage as he gulped his mind raced looking for excuses as he took a deep breath.

"I'll need-"

A thin bone like limb with a string in it appeared in his hand as Salem nodded.

"There you go no more excuses play for me, and I will see how sincere you really are."

Oh god, I'm dead. Kage thought sweat pouring down his forehead as he took a deep breath, bringing the violin up to his shoulder thanking his stars that he actually knew how to play one, dead ex taught him how a lifetime ago.

 _Thanks, Alice I owe you wherever you are._ Kage thought as he put bone to string.

"Well? I'm waiting." Salem added as he gulped. _Come on Kage think! Be romantic! What the hell is romantic for her!? I've only played once and... oh fuck me! This is the last time I'm going to be alive, so I might as well go out as I lived. Desperate and terrified._ Kage thought as he put his bone to the strings as he took what he desperately hoped was not his last breath as he began to play.

 _"~When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's Amore!~ When the sun hits your feet, and you dance down the street that's Amore!~"_ Kage winced he hated himself more at that moment than he had his entire life. He knew it was a terrible song and one he did not know any more words-

"Yes? G... go on that's _Amore?"_ Salem asked her cheeks a color to beat Ruby's cloak as he almost facepalmed.

 _This is working!? No way!? Ok, thanks Oum I'll make the most out of whatever the hell this is._ Kage thought as he continued to play.

 _"~When the stars make you drool just like pasta fazool! That's Amore!~ When you dance down the street with a cloud at your feet you're in love!~."_ Kage wanted to gag, he looked like a damn fool! Singing for a queen of the damned-

"That... that's beautiful... go on," Salem said two tears were falling down her cheek as he gagged.

 _It's working!? I don't know the rest of the lines!_

"Kage? Why did you stop?"

 _FUCK! Time to do what Jaune does best bull shit his way to victory._

 _"~When the moon hits your knees, and you mispronounce trees! Sycamore~! When the sun hits the earth, and you mispronounce girth you're in love!~" FUCK! FUCK! FUCK~ This is going to get me killed-_

"You... you love me? Are you serious? You are confessing with a song!?" Salme asked a smile splitting her face as Kage knew it. He was dead, he died and had gone to either a bizarre version of heaven of the outer ring of hell. Not quite at the inferno but not fully safe from the effects from it. As he took the violin and kept playing.

 _"~When! It lurks on a reef and has two sets of teeth?~" FUCK! What the hell lurks on a reef?! What are you thinking!?_

"That's _a moray,"_ Salem said to finish the sentence taking two steps towards him as Kage now knew that he had died gone to heaven been demoted to purgatory and climbed his way back up to the pearly gates.

 _"~When you walk on a beach, with the sand at your feet?~"_

"I'm in love," Salem said two hands snaking out gripping Kage making him freeze, she held him with more strength than should be ever possible. Gripping him firmly as-

"Venke Kage."

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"I have been judging you for this whole time, and now after a carefully decided choice I have chosen."

"Chosen?"

"Yes. I have chosen you. You are the one to stand at my side." Salem said her coal like eyes burning red as Kage froze, unable to move his limbs shook and he winced as-

"Me?"

"You. You are the one to be my side."

"Are you sure-"

"More than ever. You are more than Ozmah was, now have a reward for my service." Salem said taking his chin cupping it pulling him up like he weighed as much as a bag of flowers, and not a fully grown adult in full body armor as she panted a firm cool kiss right on his lips as the boy knew he was going to be dead and if he got to kiss the eldritch horror that had a beauty hellbent on bewitching him and killing him?

Hell, at least he was going to die in someone's arms.

The woman? Yes, she was a woman if the two masses of flesh on his chest said anything and the supple, smooth curve of her waists on her curvaceous form said anything.

Kage paused the exact type of his death was not how he had planned, in fact, it was a lot better. He thought he would be shot to death, stabbed, burned, or some other manner but now?

Maybe this will not be so bad? Kage thought tentatively trying to work out his problems. Salem might not be the worst? She might not kill him horribly in some terrifying way.

As she broke the first kiss a low pah! filled the air as Kage forced a smile on his face, even in the face of death his face hurt. A smile was not a natural expression to him and is still felt like all hell had broken loose the second he allowed it to come to pass.

"You have a nice face," Salem said running a hand on his right check her oddly warm hand seemed to melt his skin as he nodded weakly.

"Thanks, you are beautiful as well." His answer was oddly natural Salem was beautiful and the fact that he had several horrifying Grimm appendages that felt like they could and would rip his arms out of their sockets the moment he acted up and held him in mid-air like some kind of puppet.

"I must say you are not the first man to come to sway me and normally I would not give into a man's advances even when they are so passionate," Salem said running a hand on his chest as he gave the best-forced smile he could muster. Bearing with the advances of the woman queen? Of all that may be evil as she smiled.

"You know the last man who attempted this tried to kill me."

"He must have been a _fool."_

"He was a terrible horrible shortsighted, idiotic but handsome fool. He thought I was the bad guy! He thinks I am crazy! Really! When I just wanted our children to do well! Can you believe that!?"

"He sounds crazy."

"He was, is."

"Is? You still _talk?"_

"More or less, he tries to kill me I try to kill him, I _actually_ kill him but he comes back you know how it goes relationships right?"

"I getcha."

 _I have no idea._

"So, honey-"

"Oh? Nicknames already? You are bold Venke, and I will think of a name worthy of a pet!"

 _"Pet?"_

"What did you think you were? I'll make you your own small doggie bed for the day and at night...we can share one." She hissed making Kage wish he was being grabbed by his psychopath and not another.

Never thought that I would be missing Mika but I was somewhat safe with her. Kage thought as Salem gave him an off-kilter grin that made his skin crawl like a thousand insects were running across it as he wished he had his pistols, but they were masterfully taken apart and laid on the floor of the palace? If you wanted to call it that and-

"We are going to have such! Fun together, I will admit I am rather starved for male company, and I think you will help me make up for lost time."

Oh great, she's a horny evil queen, great now I get to be a sex slave. Well... if I have to be a sex slave being her sex slave seems like a good idea? Or better than nothing I guess?

"Um..."

"Salem, for now, call me Salem you may call me something more proper in private," Salem said as something flickering in her eyes something old, and hungry flickered as Kage gulped his hands flicker to his sides as she wished his friends were here.

 _Come on Jaune! What the hell are you doing?! Don't you dare die on me! If you leave me to be a sex slave I will haunt you from the fucking grave! I swear to god!_

Kage thought his fist was shaking as he winced.

 _I swear if you are using this mission as an excuse to fuck your partner I will shoot you in the back of the fucking spine!_

"Now what do you want to name our first child?"

"What?!"

"Our first child, I will need to name our child if it a girl I shall call her Selena, if a boy? will Karlyle work for you?" The woman asked as Kage felt like he was finally going to break.

"I! Don't you think it's a bit early to be talking about kids, baby?"

"What? Why would I?"

"I mean we just met! Don't you want to enjoy a honeymoon?"

 _Find me! Find me! Get me the hell out of here Jaune, or I swear to Oum you are dead! DEAD YOU HEAR ME!_

"Why I do find that it would be nice to enjoy our free time I am on a busy schedule."

"Busy schedule? You want me to help you with that? You know I can do that! I know a lot of songs-"

"I know you do love, but there is no more need to sing. I have more uses for your tongue than to _sing._ " Salem said licking her lips as Kage gagged.

"Well, I might not be a cunning linguist?"

"Oh, that is exactly what I am wanting to hear," Salem said bringing his lips up as she kissed him, he squirmed now wanting to get away from his odd seductress as he felt the air leave his lungs and his vision begin to see spots and-

 _BANG!_ The door blew open to the room, filling the air with smoke and ash as three figures blasted their way-

"STOP!"

"We-

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF _MY_ MAN!" A voice Kage knew far too well said as he knew said as he sighed as he knew that this was going to get complicated.

* * *

Mika was angry, no she was _livid!_

"Get your hands off of my man _NOW!_ JAUNE!" She shouted her voice undulated and took on a tone that was not human making Jaune snap out of the trance of seeing his friend making out with a succubus?!

"Uh... yeah! Ruby!"

"Sorry! On it!" The girl said picking up her dropped weapon as-

"Oh _please,_ " Salem said snapping her fingers as a mass of hands shot out of the ground knocking the weapons out of her intruder's hands as she disarmed them and restrained them with contemptuous ease. Her coal eyes rolled in their sockets.

"Um! Baby! Can you not kill my friends?" Kage asked trying to not have his friends murdered as-

"Baby?! KAGE?!"

"Oh fuck me. Kage growled as-

"Wait! Hold on! Can we talk!?" Jaune said as he finally had enough of this madness as he let his anger at this impossible situation run out.

"So... Kage... he is dating..."

"Me. Salem, Jaune was it?" The target he had come to kill said as Jaune nodded still strung up in her odd Grimm hands as he and the remains of team ARKM with the exception of Kage were hung up in her arms.

As Kage sighed.

"I DON'T ACCEPT IT! HE IS _MINE!"_

"I-"

Salem paused her gaze locked onto Mika as she paused.

"Kage she is _not_ human, she is also not Grimm? What the hell is she?" Salem asked her gaze locked onto Mika as she frowned.

"What the hell are you talking about!? I am-

Mika froze a hand shot out from the ground gripping her neck, the hand squeezed her neck roughly as Salem glared into her irises her face scant inches from her face.

"No. No, she is not. Jaune was it? You are the leader of this merry band of infiltrators?"

"Yes, I am. They are my team their actions are based on my orders if you are to punish one punish me instead." Jaune said locking eyes with the woman his mask ripped off by a Grimm hand and now hung by him as Salem cocked her head a bemused expression in her face as she smiled.

"You seek to protect those close to you, even when you might bring harm to yourself?" Salem asked her eyes looking into Jaune searching for an answer as Jaune grit his teeth.

"I am the leader I will protect them no matter the situation. They acted on my orders any, and all punishments for their actions fall onto my shoulders. I take full responsibility for all of their actions." Jaune declared as Salem gave a firm smile on to her captive.

"Good. I like that, I might not seem like it Jaune, but I am a being that is fond of loyalty. I believe in loyalty from all of my subjects. And I return that loyalty in turn. You seem to understand that well. Tell me why are you so loyal?"

"They are my team, I am loyal to them because we are friends."

"I see and do you think that their loyalty is returned?"

"I... I know it is."

"Do you? Well, what would you do if I told you that this female is _not_ a human?" Salem asked fixing Mika with a _curious_ look as Mika froze.

 _"STOP!_ Mika hissed her arms pulling in her rest her thing arms pulling the Grimm arms that held her fast making another set appear gripping her down as she struggled against Salem's hold.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Mika is a human just like me."

"You think that, but she is... well I don't know what she really is," Salem said holing out a hand moving to cup Mika's chin-

"Don't you touch me you _ **worm!"**_ Mika shouted her voice boomed Jaune felt it in his bones, he felt the power in there as her eyes flashed.

"You dare insult me, child!? You are a _horrid_ deceitful thing from _beyond_ the heavens! How dare you insult me!" Salem shouted her eyes glowing a deep crimson red as Jaune squirmed.

"Wait! We can talk about this!"

"Talk?! You come into _my_ home! My castle with weapons to kill me?! You burst in attack my minions, and you even bring her?! A silver eyed to kill me!? You will forgive me if I do not forgive you! Now before I kill you, tell me who sent you? Was it _Ozpin?_ That fool never learns!"

"What!? Ozpin didn't' send us!"

"Really? Then pray tell who sent you? Who knew of my location in the heart of the Grimmlands and had the time and the resources to mount an attack of me?"

"We were sent by Ludo-

"Did you say _Ludo?"_ Salem asked her eyes widening as Jaune paused.

"Yes? Why?"

"Do you mean _Ludo Von Richthofen?"_ The woman asked her eyes widening to the size of saucers as Jaune nodded.

"Yes?" Jaune asked as Salem blinked once twice before her eyes flashed red she stomped her foot into the ground her black heels making the odd floor break as she yanked out a scroll from her side. It was as dark as her dress and longer than the norm as-

"Um... Salem do you know-"

 _"Silence_!" She yelled as a hand appeared over his mouth making him instantly calm.

"OK!" Jaune hissed as Salem dialed her scroll waiting several times as-

 _"LUDO!_ Don't you what me! What are you thinking!? Sending your _minions_ on an assassination mission for me!? What!? I don't care if it was training! You don't need to send your toys! What were you thinking you fool!? What if this had turned bad for both of us! I can't believe you would do this!"

* * *

"So you are just letting us go?" Jaune asked unable to believe this was happening. As it turned out Salem and Ludo knew each other…

They were not what you would call _friends,_ but they had an open dialogue with one another. They had the other's _personal_ scroll numbers if that said anything.

"Yes I am, I do apologize for Ludo's actions he can be rather eccentric as you know," Salem said rolling her eyes one long dark hand pulling Kage into her said somehow fighting with Mika how dug her feet into the ground as she fought tooth and nail to keep Kage by her side.

"JAUNE! She's touching _my_ Kage! Tell her to stop!"

"You are touching _my_ toy, you stop."

"He is not a toy! Not to you!"

"That's not what he will be saying after a night with me _girl?"_ Salem asked still not sure what she was talking to only that it was definitely not a human.

"About that... Salem, Kage is on my team I can't just leave him here-"

"He will not be mistreated, three meals a day, and all the snacks he can eat. He will live in the lap of luxury, and besides a _bruised_ pelvis he is in no danger here."

"I will _bite_ you." Mika hissed through gritted her green eyes locked onto Salem as she held onto her man for dear life-

"As much as I am sure Kage would _love_ that he is a valued member of my team. If he is not with us we lost a critical component I am afraid you can not simply keep him."

"Then we work out a schedule."

"Whoa. Hold up, babe I know this is new, but I have to say, Jaune is my friend. He is my comrade I know for a fact! That he will not whore me out and-

"You get him _twice_ a week."

"I want him every Tuesday and Thursday."

"Have him back by the next day combat ready in the exact! Shape he was given to you, and we have a deal."

 _"Deal."_

"What?! You can't just whore me out!"

"I am doing what needs to be done."

"I'll _kill_ you!" Kage hissed as Jaune sighed.

"Now that we have that worked out we can go?" Jaune asked still unable to believe his luck he thought this was a suicide mission that was finally going to be the end of team ARKM but now? Now he made an ally and maybe a friend of Salem queen of the Grimm.

"Of course. You did give me quite a scare but seeing how Ludo did _stretch_ his privilege I have no issue letting you all go. As soon as Watt's returns the fuel to your ship with your comrade you all may leave. I just wonder where Hazel and Tyrian are? Have any of you seen a scorpion faunus?"

"Um! They are probably out looking for us! Yeah, that's it!" Ruby chipped her red eye zoomed in on Salem refusing to look away from her as-

"You are a _remarkably_ friendly silver eye. Tell me child do you know what your eye is?"

"N-no, ma'am. Should I?" Ruby asked as Salem paused taking a moment to think before responding.

"No... no, you should not... Jaune was it?"

"Yes, ma'am. That is me."

"I do not profess to know you well, but I must be honest with you. I see potential in you. I see strength in your face I know that look it is the look of my protege has."

"You protege?"

"He name is _Cinder_ I see you in her and her in you. You are strong, but I fear your potential is wasted on Ozpin's side."

"Ma'am?"

"Jaune. After you inevitably return from Bastion consider talking to a woman named Cinder. She was raven hair and amber eyes you can recognize her by her beauty and arrogance. Ask her and say my Name and then have her speak to you in private. At that point, I offer you a deal."

"What kind of deal ma'am?"

"Jone me," Salem said as she held out a hand her eyes burned an odd red as Jaune froze.

"Join you?"

"I will not reveal all those who spoil are the worst at, but Ozpin has left you. He has abandoned you."

"What?"

"Jaune, you are Ruby are not where you should be. I know what Bastion is, we are not allies, but neither of you belongs there."

"But we-

"There is more to this than either of you knows. I do not know all but for what you have told me? There is much more going on. I would not be surprised to know Ozpin _wanted_ both of you gone for some reason or the other and Ludo has saved your lives."

"What!? Why would Ozpin do that?!"

"He is not the man you know _child._ Ozpin is many things, but he is _not_ your friend. Ozpin does not see you as people. He sees you as pawns in his damn chess game that he plays! Listen to me both of you, all of you. You might live in Bastion or Oum forbid Beacon, but you will not thrive. If you would like once you are more liberated and if you can return there you all have a future with me know this before you go. You all have a place at my side, and I reward those who show me loyalty something I doubt you will find hard at all..."

* * *

"Get us _out_ of here!" Mika yelled as the bullhead pulled up. The _Vesperia_ now fully fuelled and free from _dragons_ lifted off as Jaune nodded. The door closed as the place of the damned was cut off as the door was slowly closed. As the ship flew away Jaune had to think, he was just offered a place at Salem's side? The most evil or maybe not so evil being in all existence offered him a position?

"Jaune?" Ruby asked as the girl walked up next to him.

"She said Ozpin _might_ have wanted to kill us... why would he do that?" Ruby asked her voice soft and weak as Jaune frowned.

"I don't know Ruby, we can ask him later when we go back."

"Will we ask him?"

"You can count on him. I don't know if Salem was lying or not but I will find out what she meant one way or another."

"Stop being sappy and let us get the hell out of here before she figures out we killed her fucking men!" Uzepi said her purple eyes flashing with worry as the ship pulled away the castle falling into the distance as-

"Jaune?"

"Kage?" He asked as the boy fought to move Mika seemed welded to his arm as-

"What happened to the bomb?" Kage asked as Jaune blinked once twice and-

"Oh-

There was a _flash_ of blue in the distances as the castle was engulfed in a bight blue light, a ripping torrent of a blue maelstrom of fire rolled out from the castle. As the ship flew a massive second sun flash out as it burned. The castle vanished in a massive plume of blue disappearing from existence as-

"Oh... I forgot about the _bomb..."_

* * *

Seven hours later a lone bullhead flew over the Bastion grounds. The ship fell down as two figures stop waiting for it.

"I don't believe it... they came back..."

"They are quite resourceful Miss Heil! I would even call them cockroaches." Ludo hissed as the ramp lowered, five battered figures came out as team ARKM plus their chaperone excited, they all looked tired.

Kage's arm was dented and pitted and look like it was tossed in a can opener. Ruby's cape was torn and dirty, Mika's fur was a mess coated in soot and Jaune's mask was broke in the eyes as-

"Jaune! So glad to see you back! I was worried about your return!"

"You don't need to worry about us sir, we are team ARKM we always complete our mission." Jaune hissed his cobalt eyes locked onto Ludo's grey one refusing to back down as the man smiled.

"I thought you might run you know?"

"I am an Arc sir. I don't run and besides, where would we go?"

"To you home Beacon?" Ludo asked as Jaune let out a low cackle that turned into a full-fledged laugh fall from his lips as he shook his head.

"Sir I don't know if you know this, but we are team ARKM, Bastion _is_ our home, and we are not going _anywhere."_

* * *

 **AN: OK! And there we have it! The finale of the first _pillar_ of Bastion! It's been over a year and I'm glad this all worked! In this, we see the _talk_ to Salem. Some _hints_ of where Mika came from. Jaune makes a _choice_ Salem reveals that _maybe_ just maybe Ozpin was more involved in Jaune and Ruby's placement in Bastion, and Ludo just might have _saved_ them after all? Well, that's more to look into as the _fall_ of Salem is complete! Kage's pelvis can rest easy and now? Well, the first pillar is done the next one will be called _The Soliloquy_ and will have _far_ fewer mission and much more _classroom_ centered relationships as we get to see what the _class_ schedule is like in Bastion... ALl that in the next part! Until then? The _Apprentice_ is up next so enjoy!**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant_ part two part six _Rest._**

"Sir what will we be doing today?" Ren asked his commander as Jaune sighed. He honestly wanted to do nothing today. He wanted to sit back enjoy some Tanna and have a nice calm relaxing day-

"Today? Today we are getting drunk! There is this club called _Juniors!_ You are going to love it!" Yang said putting together her combi bolter making sure that her underslung melta gun was able to fit comfortably with her flame thrower. The young Cannoness was able to make a smile so wide and bright Jaune swore that he would go blink if he stared into it for any amount of time.  
"Yang! You can't just take the Commissar out to drink! He might not _like_ that!" Ruby whined the young commander whimpered from behind Jaune making the man wonder what she was doing.

 _Do you think that I will protect you from her? Well, on one hand, you are right nothing kills my men or women that's not me without a fight._ Jaune said as he shook his head. Not wanting to get between Yang and her sister as the man checked his pistol.

"We _can_ go to the club.'  
"Hell yeah!"

"But only _after_ we check out the city. We have been sent here to check out a possible heresy in the city and we _will_ do our job dammit." Jaune said shaking his head as he stood up. Making Ren stand with him, the man joined his leader as he checked his Melta pistols. As the two stood the sisters also stood. One willing to go out and party and possibly _fight_ whoever came to get in thier way. The other out of fear of what her sister would do if she was irritated.

"We are going to get _so_ drunk! _Hell yeah!"_ Yang said making sure to check her extra ammo count. As she locked her last mag onto her waist, the ammo clips clung to her waist and mag locked to her side as Jaune walked up next to her.

"Ok. We do _one_ run in the city. Then we can go to _juniors?_ Was that the one?"  
"Hell yeah! We are going to be gone! I can't wait to kick some ass again!"  
"yang! You said you would be good!"  
"I say a _lot_ of things, that's what makes me so cool right Jaune?"

"THat's _one_ of the reasons I hang out with you but until we end up in jail _again_ let's get the hell out of here I am already feeling the need to drink something," Jaune said as he REn Ruby and Yang walked out of the command room and got ready to go into the city for some clubbing.


	46. soliloquy Pillar one, School life

**AN: And the story is BACK! Bastion is back for round two people! We got all our favorites from Arkm! The reluctant blonde leader who has too much to worry about with! Jaune's got this. The _adorable_ semi-human Mika! The stoic _still_ tired Kage! And the _possible_ cyborg Ruby all going at it as Bastion resumes with part two! _The Soliloquy._**

* * *

"Then! If you would look here you will see that you have killed your targets." The soft sensual voice of Miss Velvet carried through the room as Jaune sighed. He was sitting in his Bastion desk Kage was falling asleep and Ruby looked like she might fall out of her chair.

"And if you have to fire at an enemy that is charging you be prepared to kill them at your soonest opportunity, you must be able to keep pace when retreating from a Grimm. Most Grimm types are melee variants and you will find yourself pressed for time to reload especially in the thick of combat." Miss Vel said her soft brown eyes rolling up and down the class, her thick lips covered in brown lipstick smacked! As Jaune sighed rolling his eyes.

After their latest fiasco, team Arkham was allowed a choice for their final month and a half at Bastion. They could spend their time doing what they did before going on missions or...

They could go for the more academic approach, they could elect to spend the majority of their free time back in Bastion in general academic class far less danger and making sure that they could probably live long enough to go home.

Jaune picked the later, it was fun and all to go on missions but he preferred to keep his team alive and to keep what little remained of Ruby's original body still intact. Speaking of Ruby her mechanical eyes zoomed out focusing on the teacher who was stalking up and down the class.

Miss Velvet cut a quick pace up and down the wooden floors of the Bastion classroom. The dull floor colored the shade of storm clouds clicked as her high heels slapped against them.

Miss Velvet was a tall woman easily pushing seven feet, with long silky brown hair and eyes along with that same pale skin that seemed to infest the students of Bastion stood out prominently as Jaune nodded.

"Now tell me when you are surrounded on more than three sides by Grimm what is the appropriate reaction?"

"Oh! You back down the remaining escape avenue!"

"Good Ruby! Now that you have that what if the Grimm are in the air?"

"Then you need to seek shelter, the aerial Grimm types are not known for being able to pursue you inside of buildings or especially underground. Hiding in buildings or sewers is know to be especially effective." Ruby said as Miss Velvet nodded.

"Good! Now onto the next part!" She said as Jaune looked ahead in front of them Zach and Hino said the former had his head tossed back his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he slept.

Hino fixed her pale skinned partner a death glare as she rolled her eyes muttering once as she took notes.

Jaune had to admit to not paying particular attention to this class, he used almost only melee weapons and even if he had a plasma pistol he was still mainly a hand to hand fighter.

To his right Mika smiled happily taking notes in a small journal he didn't even know she had a journal most of their time in Bastion was in direct combat so it was not hard to forget that despite all the terrible things Bastion was a school first and foremost and while you were in school you went to class.

"Now that's all for today class! You all need to do your homework and the proper way to field strip your weapons so until next time tah-tah!" She chirped as the class finished.

"Finally! Let's get the hell on to lunch!" Zach groaned stretching his arms as Hino sighed looking at her partner with a look of thinly veiled irritation. "You know you could try to pay attention is that so hard?"

"It is when you want to knock out."

"Why did I get you as a partner?"

"Because you got unlucky, now stop complaining we got to eat," Zach said as Jaune stood up his friend filed out as his team fell in on him.

"Jaune? You ready to go?"

Ruby asked the adorable if not slightly terrifying girl with the robotic eye and well mostly robotic body, not that you could tell. Ruby's body was nearly fully altered, her body looked human but it was not. Ruby smiled warmly as Jaune nodded.

"Yeah let's get going, I could use a bite," Jaune said as Ruby nodded.

"Yay! We get to _feast!_ I want the meat!" Mika said grinning widely as Kage shook his head.

"I just want to eat a quiet lunch, boss we got anything planned later?"

"Classes, classes and more classes just as it should be," Jaune said as team Arkham filed out Miss Velvet gave them all a hungry look licking her lips as she blew Jaune a kiss.

Jaune _shuddered_ he knew of Miss Velvet's proclivities. He turned away before suppressing a shudder. He did not like Miss Velvet, he did not like most teachers in Bastion but she was an especially heinous one.

"Boss we got to move," Kage said walking out of the room his dual pistols mag-locked to his side, the boy was once again back in red his old armor repaired and brought back together now thinner and made much less noise.

All of Arkham had their armor fixed patched up and when applicable upgraded.

Jaune had his armor rebuffed and shined to a masters touch. His armor was no longer ended and worn but smooth like the flat part of his blade and black like the midnight sky. His weapons were still mostly the same, Jaune did not feel right changing them. They were not originally his the marks, dents, and scrapes on them were left. He kept the marks they were a badge of honor some type of proof of worth if that made sense. They seemed to say I struggled, I suffered and yet I _still_ triumphed.

* * *

"This food is so good!" Ruby smiled wildly as she devoured her plate of sweets, although the small reaper still had a sweet tooth to rival the gods she now had a small side of poultry on her plate. Jaune had made Ruby take up healthier eating over the last few days. She needed more than cookies to keep going.

"You need to pace yourself, don't eat too fast you'll choke."

"Bet she wants to choke on your cookie," Zach growled making Ruby actually choke, her silver eye went wide in embarrassment her cheeks the color of her cape as he chuckled.

 _Whack!_

"Idiot! Don't tell her that!" Hino hissed as Zach rolled his eyes.

"Say what you want you know what she wants."

"Zach don't tease my partner," Jaune said putting a piece of mash potatoes in his mouth. The creamy potatoes slid down his mouth as Jaune sighed. He learned to ignore most if not all of Zach's word. The boy said almost nothing important and when he did it was usually when people were getting shot to hell.

"Boss we got plans today? Or are we just taking it easy? I for one would like to just take it easy." Kage said eating his fried tuber plate and slicing into his thick steak that seemed to be freshly slaughtered if the flood of blood on the plate was any indication.

"You eat a lot of meat Kage, do you think that is healthy?" Jaune asked his concerns for his team's diet was a new front for him but an important one.

"Healthy? It's proven how is protein not healthy?"

"Red meat is really good for you Kage, in fact, if you eat too much of it it might just lead to a full-on intestinal prolapse you know?"

"Hello, Merrick I did not see you come in," Jaune said not actually seeing Merrick come in. The albino leader of their fellow team and personal friend of Ruby sat in swiftly coming from out of thin air as his team sat up.

 _"Sir!"_

 _"Sir!"_

"At ease both of you I'm not some tyrant but your respect is noted and appreciated, Jaune how are you today?" Merrick asked his plate filled with rich and steak a small smile on his face as his blood red eyes that still hurt for Jaune to look at locked onto his blue ones.

"I'm fine nothing too wrong that I can tell, you?"

"Oh not much did a bit of digging with the Lancers they are impressed with your performance on your last few missions if not a bit disappointed that you are not going to do much more for them. Mac would like to extend his personal thanks for all the work that you have done for them so far."

"Tell him that that is appreciated we are thankful for all they did for us."

"Which was?" Kage asked as Ruby giggled a bit.

"Ah, Ruby! I have some philosophical questions today, you will make time for me no?" Merrick asked as Ruby's eye lost all trace of humor as her red one zoomed in.

"Sure. I'll do what I can Merrick." Ruby said her voice high and sharp as Jaune smiled.

"I'm glad you two get along so well that's good to see."

"You are so dense it is not even funny."

"Kage?"

"Nothing! Nothing! I didn't say anything." Kage said digging back into his steak as Jaune shrugged.

"We are taking it _easy."_

"No more suicidal missions then?"

"Dear Oum I _hope_ not I don't think we have any luck left to use." Kage drawled the boy rolling his brown eyes at his leader who shook his head.

"We have been surviving through skill and tenacity, we owe our survival to no one but ourselves."

"That and the bull shit luck that keeps us alive when you toss us into another meat grinder."

 _"Hey!_ I never tossed us into a meat grinder!"

"Yeah! Kage don't insult Jaune!"

"I tossed your _mom_ into a meat grinder!"

"That's what you keep saying! Quit being so silly! You know I might just start to believe you!" Ruby said punching Kage in his arm, giggling as she shook her head.

Really! He thinks that he tossed my mom in a meat grinder can you believe him Eyey?

"No I can not, Venke is quite the character but he is our friend." Her eye said the words flashing over her face as Ruby smiled.

"You know I really did toss your mom in a meat grinder."

"Sure, a meat grinder," Ruby said using air quotes as Venke sighed.

"Listen-"

"Mom. Meat grinder! I get it!" Ruby said laughing a bit as Kage sighed.

"Well, I did my best."

"Yes you did, now can we not talk about conversations that might get one or more of us killed?" Jaune asked taking a swig of water as Hino sighed.

"Jaune what will you do the rest of the day? I heard you took on a teaching role with Adam? Something about training the new recruits?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be training some Initiate first years, later on, I think I'll have some luck with them, Adam said they all had potential," Jaune said a small smile on his face. He and Adam had become closer over the last few weeks. Adam teaching him swordplay and Jaune acting as kind of a counselor to him.

Adam taught him how to use the blade and Jaune taught him how to not kill every human he saw. The two had a productive relationship and now they were actually friends.

"Oh? You are teaching do tell. I bet Mac would love if you could teach for the Lancers, we would reward you handsomely." Merrick said his words so laced with a hidden motive even Jaune felt the hairs raise on the back of his neck.

"That's not a bad idea, but I'm going to stick with this for now."

"Ah, a shame then! But I must be going. Zach, Hino?"

 _"Sir!"_

 _"Sir!"_

"Good now let's go, Jaune a pleasure, Ruby? I'll see you later on." Merrick said as Ruby snarled her eye zoomed out as Merrick smirked.

"What was that?"

"I'll be there."

"Ah you don't sound too enthusiastic, maybe your friends need to clear their heads?"

"I said I'll do it! No one needs to have their heads cleared ok?" Ruby asked as Merrick grinned, a thin cruel smile that reminded Ruby of the jagged edge of a knife.

"As you say, Jaune good day," Merrick said as his team slid off from the table as Mika gagged.

"I don't like that guy, Jaune you can't trust him! He's a damn smake." Mika hissed her emerald eyes locking on and glaring onto Merrick's head as Jaune sighed.

"Mika, Merrick is not a snake, he's Ruby's friend you know? Isn't that right Ruby? You and Merrick are friends?" Jaune asked not noticing the shudder of disgust in her veins.

"Y-Yes... we are acquaintances, you could say that," Ruby said shaking her head as Jaune sighed.

"Good, now let's get going we still have classes to go to and I don't want to be late."

* * *

"So boss... quick question," Kage asked as he and Jaune walked side by side in the Beacon hall. The girls had left for the dorm and other classes leaving the two with a free period. The two walked down the mainly empty Bastion halls the massive stone floors and walls allowed them access as the rare student that roamed saw them gasped and either turned right around or gave them a wide _berth_

.

"Yes? And what question would that be?" Jaune asked his friend and teammate who sighed. His metal-gloved hand rubbed his face as he took a deep breath.

"So just to be sure you want us on this moral high ground shit right?"

"Moral high ground shit? What does that mean?"

"It means that you want us to do the whole above and _beyond_ shit right? Like you want us to step up when we see something wrong?" Kage asked taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"Smoke?"  
"Yeah, hit me," Jaune said taking another long white stick allowing Kage to light it, Jaune _groaned_ the cool relaxing feel of the Vacuo slim breathed and entered into his lungs as he shuddering killing the cigarette in one go as he turned to Kage.

"Yes, I want us to be the good guys we are training to be, why are you asking me?"

"What do you think of Miss Velvet?"

"Our teacher? She's a good combat teacher why?"

"I just wanted to know what our official stance is regarding her proclivities is all," Venke said his brown eyes narrowing like a hawk as Jaune passed. His cobalt eyes looked over to his friend as he frowned.

"What do you mean proclivities? What the hell does that mean?" Jaune asked a hint of defensiveness in his tone as Kage held his glare.

His brown eyes hard like slits locked onto Jaune's who match his gaze stare for glare.

"What I mean is when she does her private tutoring what is our stance on that?"

"Her private tutoring? What the hell does that mean?" Jaune had no idea what Kage was on about now and he honestly did not want to know.

"What I mean is what do we do about her taking students to the back of her private office, fucking them and blowing their brains out if the cum before her. That is what I am talking about." Kage almost spat his brown eyes locked onto his leader as to his great surprise Jaune looked just as surprised as him.

Like he was not expecting the question but was not pissed off at it either. It was like Jaune knew what Kage was going to say and just didn't care about it.

"Oh? So what if she does that? How does that concern us?" Jaune asked with a low shrug, Kage paused he knew Jaune had changed over the past weeks but this? Being ok with the murder of his own classmates this was a change of pace, not an unwelcome change either. Kage had been meaning to tell Jaune that he was a bit soft.

But recent developments had shown Kage that Jaune was no fool and he was adapting to Bastion like a fish to water still he needed to answer this question, one way or another Kage would get his answer.

"What I'm asking is when she drags a _kid_ back into the room what do you want me to do?"

"Why do you care _what_ I want you to do? Why do you care what I do?"

"Because you are my teammate, and you are the one who represents us. And when you fuck up the consequences come back to bite us all in the ass. This is a Beacon teacher Jaune!"

"So what? She's _just_ a teacher if a few students die what's the problem?" Jaune asked scratching his armor the shiny Black carapace plate shown as the Bastion torches illuminated the hallway, giving it a bloody look as red shadows crept up and down.

"Jaune, what will you say when I say that some of the kids she takes men and women boys and girls are not very old," Kage asked framing his words so that Jaune could not wiggle out of this.

"Not very old what the hell does that mean not very old?"

"What I mean is what is our policy to harassment of children, does that make sense?"

"Zero tolerance, if we see child abuse we stop it then and there no questions asked.

"Well, what about when she picks someone who is under eighteen."

"What?"

"What I mean is when she starts taking underage kids and she will do that mind you. When she takes them to the back of the class has sex with a very underaged student and then more likely than not kills said student and comes back the next day, what will you expect us to do then?"

"Get ready for class? Kage, what are you trying to get?"

"Jaune! She is a predator! She targets children-"

"So what? _I_ don't care, she teaches well Kage she will save our lives on a mission eventually. I don't care about others outside the team Kage, I'll protect this team no matter what." Jaune said his legs pulsing with power as they both began to kick ads Jaune felt his blood come back into this legs.

"I know what she does Kage, why are you asking me if I am ok with it?"

"Are you?"

"NO! Dear Oum no! Those are children!"

"I know that's why I'm asking."

"Do you need to ask to know my opinion on _child_ abuse?"

"No, but it would help to know that you or more importantly Ruby doesn't get any heroic ideas one the bodies began to pile up now that we are going to take her class regularly. Do you think Ruby is just going to be ok once she gets it in her head what's going on?"

"Let me worry about Ruby."

"What the hell does that mean?" Kage asked a worried look on his face as Jaune smirked.

"Don't worry about it is what I mean, now calm down. I know what she does and I'm going to keep me and Ruby's nose out of it."

"Good I don't want any more _incidents."_

"There won't be any more incidents Kage, just leave the leading to me and follow orders ok?"

"If you say so boss, I'll so what I can," Kage said as the two walked down the hall.

 _"Back!_ Keep your feet moving!" Miss Velvet said as she sprinted, Jaune huffed his legs rapidly back peddling as she ran backward.

"Keep your gun up! Don't lose track of them!" The teacher hissed as she locked eyes with Jaune.

"Keep your stance loose! Don't lock up!" She hissed as Jaune grunted turning his plasma pistol to the rapidly closing in dummy.

 _Fisht!_ He pulled the trigger the superheated ball of energy blowing apart the target dummy the dummy truing into a pool of molten slag as Jaune backed up.

"Don't stop! You need to keep your legs moving! If you stop moving you are _dead!"_

"But I have a melee weapon!"

"So? You can be the best fucking melee combatant in Remnant if you can kill something from far away you do it! You never know when you are going to be overwhelmed! Now keep _moving!"_ The woman yelled as Jaune nodded, Miss Velvet was tutoring him in the art of ranged combat teaching him the basics of kiting. The art of keeping an enemy away as long as possible.

"Move your legs! Don't stay still!" She yelled as Jaune moved back three more dummies came at him, all rolling on inbuilt tracks to the training room, Jaune gripped his pistol pulling it as he fired three times.

Three rolling balls of plasma slammed out hitting all three of them turning them into slag.

"Good! But don't stop! If you let your enemy close in you are dead! You need to keep at least a ten-foot distance with the enemy! That's how you get to reload!" The teacher said as Jaune gave a nod pulling back his weapon as he scanned the area.

The training hall was a blank slate almost white walls and floors surrounded him as he fell back. The few dummies still left were dispatched quickly enough as he fell back. His feet back peddled-

"Keep your eyes up! Move and shoot! Move and shoot!" The teacher's words filled his ears as he fell back. More dummies appeared from the floor itself rising up at him and shooting forward. Jaune narrowed his eyes as he adjusted his weapon.

"Don't let them close!"

"I won't!" Jaune said as he shifted the plasma pistol to _spread_ , the weapon shot out a small wave a minor ball of blue tidal wave spilled out immolating two our of three before he quickly switched it to normal.

Two dummies fell into melting pools of slag as two fell. He drew on the other dummy firing once taking the top half off in one smooth motion. The final dummy fell as the teacher smiled, a thin grin came over her rich full lips covered in brown lip gloss as she nodded.

"Good job Arc. I didn't think you had it in you." Miss Velvet said nodding her head, her long flowing brown hair that seemed to pulse with life flickered as her uniform a strange mixture of brown and black.

Brown tight pants that hugged her _impossibly_ well-muscled legs as if they were a second skin showed off her very attractive legs, and the pure black top that pressed her already _ample_ chest out even more, along with a brown vest that was very stylish with gold emblems pressed onto it topped off with a strange gold necklace that had a circle with an arrow through it on her neck.

"That was a good session _Arc,_ keep that up and you'll be a crack shot even under the worst circumstances."

"Thank you, ma'am, I appreciate the one on one lessons," Jaune said bowing to his teacher, a monster who preyed on children or not, Jaune was not above asking for help.

 _Besides these are Bastion kids, not like they are angels, if you are in here you deserve a few bad things happen to you._ Jaune thought shoving down a moral quandary before he did as Kage would say make a dumb ass decision that was going to bite him and all his friends in the ass before he could think.

"Of course I always take the time to help my students, and if you want... I can offer you some private tutoring after class." The woman said taking her hand running her long manicured nails down his armor. Her long rich brown nails screamed his armor Jaune's eyes locked onto her chest before he shook his head.

 _It's a trap._

"That's fine ma'am, I don't need that for now," Jaune said as the teacher frowned.

"Aw that's too bad I'm sure a big strong stud like you can have a lot to teach a girl like me." She asked in a husky tone batting her eyes as Jaune shuddered, he felt it. Before he may have been tempted by the pleasure of flesh but now? Something screamed in his chest, some sixth sense he developed since arriving in Bastions creamed at the top of its lungs yelling and screaming at Jaune to run. To get the hell out of here and get the fuck to his friends.

Miss Velvet was _beautiful_ in every sense of the word but she was a monster, and she saw Jaune as nothing more than prey.

"I am sorry ma'am but I have things to do."

"Ah, a shame! But I'll leave it here for now, if you ever want a real woman to rock your world just call me!"

"I will ma'am."

"And just so you know I have a variety of experiences to impart on you Jaune and if you come to my private session I'll be sure to _blow_ your mind."

* * *

 _Fisht!_ Ruby looked at her blade with a curious gaze the long metallic piece that extended from her arm breaking free from her skin as if it was not there.

 _"Our skin is there it is just not connected to pain receptors when we use our weapons."_ Her eye said as Ruby nodded it was strange realizing that she was not fully human.

Ruby had come to terms with having a mechanical body or mostly mechanical some time ago, it did not bother her as much but she still wondered what would become of her.

"Can I even get on a plane? Won't I set off the metal detectors?" Ruby asked as her eye paused.

 _"Scanning, I have found several instances of humans and faunus boarding aircraft with metallic prosthetic limbs, we should be able to board a craft just fine upon our return to Beacon, in a bit over a month. I for one am looking forward to our return."_

"Me too, I think that it will be good to be back in my old bed with my friends again," Ruby said falling back on the ARKM bed that was still impossibly soft seriously Ruby thought she might as well have been sleeping on a damned cloud for all the good this bed was.

 _"Ruby? I am confused."_

"By what? What's on your mind?"

 _"You say our friends are in Beacon but our friends are here. They are on our team and in the cafeteria. Well not in there right now but our friends are not somewhere else right?"_ Her eye asked whirring out of her head as Ruby paused.

"Well that's not all the way true, I have friends that you have not met Eyey, they are in Beacon and... well they think that I and Jaune are dead.."

 _"They believe you have expired along with our crush? How strange, why would they think that? Surely they believe in our ability to know that we can survive a measly execution at the hands of Vacuo right?"_

"It's not that simple, they think we are dead..."

 _"That is a strange thought think of it like this Ruby. If we were to be tossed out of a bullhead, that was destroyed mid-air crash into the ground and go missing for days on end do you think Jaune, Mika or Kage would honestly believe we were dead? Do you think that they would not be out every second of the day searching for us until they found our bodies?"_

"I... that's not the same. They don't know me like they do."

 _"Ruby if time is the deciding factor in behavior that is even worse, these so-called friends of yours have known you for months over a year. And yet they are so quick to decide that you are dead and gone? I must say I do not think highly of this."_

"You don't get it Eyey, they are not like us... they have not seen the things that we see, they would not be able to handle this life."

 _"Then why are they our friends?"_

"What?"

 _"Ruby friends_ _ **must**_ _be able to stand with each other at all times, think of it is there any aspect in our lives that you can see Jaune, Kage or Mika not being able to stand with us and defend and support us?"_

"I..."

 _"Or even Zach and Hino? People we have known for less than a few months are already more reliable than our own family."_

"That's not true!"

 _"Is it? Your aunt Raven can portal place correct?"_

"Yes... why?"

 _"If she can go anywhere why not here? Why are people so willing to mark us for dead? People, that you say we can trust?"_

"It's not like that! This is a complicated thing Eyey!"

 _"Is it? It does not seem so complicated now that I think about it. Our friends are the people who stand with us, who believe in us who will have our backs. People we can depend on in all aspects of our lives these so-called friends of yours do not seem like they are good friends."_

"Well, they are! And you can't just-"

 _Ding_! Ruby's scroll rang as she groaned.

"Now who is it?" Ruby asked looking at her scroll as-

Merrick. Read on the top of it as the screen turned black.

"Oh fuck me."

 _"He is not our friend."_ Her eye said dryly as Ruby picked up the scroll.

 _No shit, he's not our friend._

"Yes?"

 _"Ah!_ Ruby just the girl I was hoping to reach!"

"What do you want Merrick?" Ruby asked her tone hard and clipped an exasperated sigh came from the other end as Merrick sighed.

"Why so rude? I just called due to a philosophical question that I needed your help on."

"Spit it out, I am alone so tell me what you need so I can get it over with."

"Fine fine, be like that then. There is a string of several missing students I need you to look into?"

"What? The hell happened to them?"  
"If I knew that I would _not_ be calling you now would I?" Merrick asked as Ruby winced her hands flinched as her eye narrowed.

" _He is not our ally."_

"Missing? Like, ran away?"

"No... more like dead..." Merrick paused his voice not caring quite as strong as Ruby froze.

"Dead who the hell is stabbing them?"

"Oh not stabbing them, Ruby something is _eating_ them..."

* * *

 **AN: And we are BACK! Arkm is in full swing! Kage is sullen, Mika is about her _meat!_ Jaune's morals are in serious _question_ and Ruby has an investigation! Something is _eating_ the students of Bastion! What's gnawing at them? Well, find out next time... until then _The Apprentice_ is next! So thanks for reading and now Omake...**

* * *

 **Hero of Remnant part 25 _Back in the saddle_.**

Jaune was always one to look on the glass half _empty_ side of life. In his life pessimism made sense and it more often than not saved his life.

 _Ting! Tang! FWAP!_ The harsh sounds of lasers bounced off the side of the auto car as Jaune sighed.

"Sir, we are under attack," Ren said his usual phlegmatic tone on full monotone and fully uncaring of the hail of brilliant crimson death that fell ont hem as Jaune sighed.

"Yes Ren, yes we _are_ under attack," Jaune replied already wishing that he could just tuck himself back into his covers and go to bed. All he wanted to do was go out see the city and _not_ be shot at. Was that really too much to ask for?  
"Fuck! We are getting hammered!" Yang yelled the sister of battle jumping over cover her combi-bolter _barking_ sending rocket rounds at the enemy as she fell back. Her armor glowed yellow as she growled at the enemy.

"Come and get me you fucks!" Yang hissed letting loose another string of bolter rounds followed by a wave of chemical fire, Jaune winced the smell of promethium filled his nose as he gagged.

 _The enemy_ was attacking them, not that Jaune knew who the hell they were, so far he was being shot at by what he _hoped_ was just confused Monty botherers that would be dead in the dirt soon enough but-

A wave of yellow flashed into Jaune's eyes as Ren fired both of his melta pistols at one the hell pistols flashed as the screams of men and women being cut in two filled his ears. Jaune sighed already regertting not shooting someone earlier.

 _Maybe if I shot more of the men then this would not happen? If all my men did that I surely can stay in bed right?_

"Sir! WE are taking fire!" Ruby said the commander hopping over the barricade of the burning auto car, Ruby was still dressed _much_ to her dismay and to Jaune's in bright white clothes. She wore the winter uniform that made her stand out like a sore thumb in the bland greys of the city. Normally Jaune was _all_ for the men standing out it made it less likely that he would be shot.

That was until they started to stand to _close_ to him where the age-old adage of _Enemy fire has the right of way_ filled his mind as-

"Sir, they are charging us," Ren reported dryly as Yang grinned.

"Hell yeah! Let's show these traitors how Oum's finest kick ass!"  
"Fine... I supposed I can help." Jaune said as he nodded looking at his _friends_ he used that word loosely before counting down.

 _"One, two, three!"_ Jaune said as all four surged up a wave of chemical fire spread out like the waves on a beach.

"Burn Heretics!" Yang yelled as human screaming filled Jaune's ears, bodies twisted and turned jumbled in the street, the dull day sun shone down in the slums as Jaune much to his dismay fire four times, killing four enemies as another reached his front making him sigh before gutting a fifth. _Crocea Mors_ tore his guts out as a large _claw_ was torn from his side landing on Jaune's feet as-

 _"Gene stealers!?_ " Ruby gasped as Jaune maoned.

"Why _me?_ What did I do?" Jaune asked as he just felt his life get _complicated..._


	47. soliloquy pillar two, Friend

**AN: OK! Here we go! The first arc of the next _pillar_ is on the way! Something is _eating_ students, will Ruby find out what it is before it is too late? Will Jaune and Kage's talk go somewhere? What about Ruby's new _friend_ and double allegiance? Find out in the next part of Bastion! **

**OS. Oc incoming if you read Endangered Species you _already_ know her!**

* * *

"It _ate_ them?" Ruby asked her eyebrows raising as she looked questioningly at her scroll. She looked at it like Merrick was speaking another language as her bionic eye narrowed on the device.

 _"That is what I said Ruby, something is eating them, and as a proud member of the Bastion Internal Affairs organization it is my duty to look into any under student casualties."_ Merrick's tone gave Ruby a full force hit her telling her just how annoyed and irritated that the boy was at was to him no doubt a minor inconvenience and not the deaths of students in training.

"I... ok I'm guessing you want me to look into it?"

 _"You read my mind, sending coordinates to your scroll right now meet me here as soon as possible, I'll be waiting,"_ Merrick said clicking off his scroll link as Ruby sighed.

"Dammit, where is Jaune when I need him?"

 _"He is training with Miss Velvet Ruby, you know that he told us."_ Her eye said zooming out analyzing the scroll as Ruby sighed.

Standing up grabbing her scythe from the bed. Crescent Rose was still in bear immaculate condition the hell that was Bastion did not stop her incessant weapon maintenance hell it made her even more likely to do it. If her baby died, she would die too.

Even if Ruby had more weapon the Shoozi tied to the side of her left let by twin nylon straps was a welcome addition to her arsenal, the blade embedded in her arm, or the blade that was her arm was also useful.

"And my eye can shoot lasers, that's nice," Ruby said as her eye zoomed out.

" _I can shoot lasers at our threats, but you must give me the power to do so, if not I can not attack."_

"I know eyey now come on let's get going and find out just what the hell kind of mess we are going to be in this time," Ruby said sighing.

" _I will make a guess that Merrick has made a mistake and is using us to cover it up and do his dirty work."_ Her eye said it's irritation clear as Ruby nodded.

"Sounds about right," Ruby said before leaving her team Arkham dorm rushing out in a flurry of red rose petals as she left the empty dorm by itself as she went to go see what the hell was awaiting her.

* * *

"Ah! Ruby so glad you came." Merrick said his voice as cool and slick as she remember he spoke like someone who was trying to be your friend only to backstab you the second you breathe wrong. The albino handler of hers did not even look up from his scroll he was standing in front of a closed-door tapped off with yellow-red tape looking down at his scroll his blood red eyes scanning it as Ruby sighed.

"I'm here just what the hell is happening?" Ruby asked not in any mood for bull shit, she wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. She had already taken time of going to Jaune where she may or may not tell him she loved him-

"Good to see you, Ruby, well if you had not noticed we have a bit of a problem on our hands."

"No shit, you said something was eating people? The hell does that mean? What's eating people in Bastion?"

"If I knew the answer to that question Ruby I do not think that I would have gone through the trouble of calling you down here to look now would I?" Merrick asked as Ruby felt her eye twitch.

"He is not our friend."

"I know that." Ruby thought to shake her head as Merrick finally blessed her to see his sharp red eyes that still hurt to stare at directly.

"Well in case you are wondering we have a problem over the past few weeks there has been a growing about of unaccounted for student deaths that are beyond our initial estimation."

"Beyond? What does that mean?"

"In a school like ours, there will be a certain amount of inevitable accidental deaths. We take a previous guess of how many students will face accidents in their time here and as long as the number of casualties does not surpass a threshold we see no need to directly intervene."

"That's a cold way of saying you are allowing death."

"Death is not something you can easily avoid Ruby, I'd assumed you would know that by now, I mean you have seen your fair share of death and you have taken your fare tally of flesh in your brief time here."

"I did what I needed to do."

"I know that, and I don't doubt that at all. What I doubt or what I want to know enough to doubt is just what is happening to our fellow student.s"

"You said something was eating them? Why do you say that? What could be eating them?"

"Ah, let me explain while we do not know if something is eating them the state of the bodies has let us to think that it had to be some kind of creature judging by what kind of state the bodies were left in."

"What kind of state? Were the chewed? Half-digested? Is there chunks of meat around?"

"Oh, there is more than just that whatever is attacking our classmates is a bit of a carnivore and is strong enough and worst of all smart enough to stalk, ambush and overpower ground of Bastion students with little to no effort on its part. I am sending you relevant information to your scroll now shall we take a look at the crime scene? This is something that you should see yourself." Merrick said sliding his hand over his scroll Ruby's beeped in confirmation she got the date and nodded.

"After you."

"Ladies first," Merric said his voice infuriatingly smug Ruby wanted to punch him as the door swung open-

 _"GAH!"_ Ruby felt a wall slam into her face, right away her nose was assaulted by a rotten, putrid scent, the smell of rotten meat and a land dump rolled into one assaulted her nostrils. She wanted to vomit, the awful smell of death and decay flooded her as her eyes widened. The room was a massacre, blood-spattered the wall,s the floors everywhere! It looked like someone had taken a spray cannon filled it with blood and began to blast the area.

The room was a slaughterhouse sprays of blood fill almost every single corner of the cold grey walls, the floor was littered with small chunks of meat and offal. Ruby's' boots squelched as she crossed the crimson one hand over her mouth as she fought back the urge to vomit.

"What the hell happened here!?" Ruby hissed her stomach rioted bile formed in the back of her throat.

"It is unpleasant to look at isn't it?" Merrick added his own eyes looking down a genuine look of discomfort and distaste on his thin, pale face, it was the single most human emotion that Ruby had ever seen on him and it was honestly a bit bothering.

 _So you can feel?_ She thought as she fought back her bile looking at the squishy chunks of human flesh and the virtual _ocean_ of blood.

"What the hell happened here?"

"We don't know, four students walked into the room approximately twelve hours ago," Merrick said as Ruby's scroll began to blink, she clicked a button as it flashed white a wall of blue shot out of her tablet.

The wall of blue formed and shaped Ruby and Merrick's scroll flashed out filling the charnel house with a wall of blue light that formed itno the figures of four Bastion students dressed in green armor.

"Initiation students," Merric added as Ruby cocked her head.

"The hell is that?"

"Holographic projection, it is useful for the Internal Affairs to be able to process camera fed into three d holograms for analysis, you will see team TRSH or Thrash enter the room," Merrick said the four student's two human two faunus the human skin pale as milk the faunus tanned like burnt chocolate entered the room.

"As you can see they enter the room, at nineteen hundred hours the other day. At that point, they do not leave. They never exit and nothing enters the room. When a team of initiate students stumbled on them, later on, they found this... mess."

"Wait nothing entered the room?"

"And nothing left."

"What about vents? Could something be in the ventilation system?" Ruby asked her hey scanning the area.

"There are non in this room Ruby it is not well used and so has fewer ventilation there is only one way in and one way out, and we saw four healthy students enter and this... is what is left. A DNA test confirms it is them."

"The enemy may still be in the room!" Her eyes said as Ruby's hands flashed to Crescent Rose-

"Calm down Ruby, we have lone since served the area, trust us after seeing that there was no way in or out besides the door we came in pretty well armed to secure the room as you can see nothing was in here but death. We don't know how this could have happened, and this is not an isolated incident."

"Not isolated? There is more?" Ruby asked a feeling of fear came from her spin as she gulped.

"Yes, there have been dozens of these incidents."

"Dozens!? How have I never heard of them!?"

"Bastion is not a special place, often when a team dies, it serves as an opportunity for other teams to take things like prestige and items. And we have been covering this up. We do not want to start a panic among the students if something is hunting them."

"But something is hunting them! People need to know to protect themselves!"

"Ruby that is a good point but if we tell them that something is killing them and that this something is doing it so well that there is no sound of a fight, weapons left in holsters and without a single trace, not the faintest idea of what the hell is doing so would start a panic," Merrick said with the patience of someone talking to a small child or someone clearly beneath his level of knowledge. Ruby glared once as she looked at the charnel house of blood and guts.

"So it killed them, and they never fought back?"

"All weapons were found and recovered, all long ranged ammunition was in the holsters no magazine or pack had expended a single shot, and all melee weapons were locked up tight. No one drew a blade nobody fried a shot they just died." Merrick said his voice losing its normal, indifferent, friendly tone and became one of irritation.

"So something is smart or lucky enough to kill a team of students, does so without and sighting and is somehow able to leave the room without being seen."

"Yes, that is what we know."

"Could this be a student? I mean a teleportation semblance maybe?"

"That is not something that we had not considered, but we keep a firm grip on all the semblances of all the student's semblances. So far no one with a teleportation semblance was anywhere near here. And the ones that do still would not be able to do... this." Merrick said gesturing to the bloodstained walls of the room.

"They would need to kill overpower and... pulp a whole team without a so much as a shot being fired? I know of none who could do that."

"So what do you think? Student?"

"We have been entertaining the idea of a Grimm..."

"A Grimm!? _How!?"_

"Some kind of _infiltration_ type? Maybe something that won't appear on camera? Ruby this is something that we do not know what we are dealing with and we need to find out soon, or else things will get worse." Merrick said shutting off the hologram as Ruby gulped...

As Ruby left the horrors house, Merrick called out.

"I'll be in touch! If anything comes up you will be the first to know."

"Got it!" Ruby said shuddering as she left she blurred off desperate to get as far away from the horror show as humanly possible and-

Ding! Her scroll rang as she paused a strange icon of the Mechanicus appeared on it.

"Hello?"

 _"Ruby? This is Crawl."_ A strange disembodied voice said as she gulped her other master spoke as she shuddered.

"Yes, sir!? What can I do?"

 _"I need your help as it turns out one of our labs has a had a security breach."_

"What?"

 _"Something has escaped..."_

* * *

"You look like hell." Kae drawled taking out a cigarette and lighting it.

"I feel like hell training was rough today." Jaune groaned yawning once as he walked down the empty Bastion hallways. The two teammates and now friends walked together as they moved side by side. The two marched in lockstep not taking a step out of synch as they steadily moved forward.

 _"Cigarette?"_

"Sure I need it," Jaune said taking an offered white stick taking it in his mouth Kage lit it making Jaune groan. He needed this the feeling of sweet pleasure filling his body as the chemicals from the cigarette entered his body.

His muscles relaxed, and he felt himself clam, his muscles un-tense, and he let his hands fall to his sides.

"Thanks, I needed that," Jaune said taking a deep drag from the cigarette. He felt the way his body just released his limbs flowed free as she inhaled and blew out a large white cloud of smoke in the air.

"Fuck that was what I needed, why can't we get these in Beacon?"

"Because that is a good school. They have an image to keep up, and they tend to want hunters to look all squeaky clean and not covered in blood guts and the pulped remains of their friends."

"Ouch, you make it sound like all we do is kill monsters and watch people we love die in terrible, brutal fashion."

"Have we done anything else since our team started out?"

"Do you love anyone?"

"I like myself, I don't hate you and Ruby's ok."

"Thanks, I don't hate you either."

"Do you hate anyone? I mean you made it sound like you didn't like being bullied back in Beacon." Kage asked as Jaune froze, he let a small grin split his face.

"I was being bullied you know?"

"I do, what the hell was that about? Something about you not belonging in Beacon?"

"No... it was because I was weak. I was too weak to stand up for myself, and I had to stand up to stop that. I was weak then but I won't be weak again, I'm strong now I won't let that happen to me again." Jaune said a hint of steel in his voice Kage saw his hands grip his weapons his pistol and sword shook in his palms as he needed.

"I seed noted you don't like being bullied makes sense."

"Now that I think of it no one seems to be bullied in Bastion, why is that? It seems like this school would be ripe with that, I mean you can kill your fellow students how come people just seem to get along?"

"Simple, bullying is an act of _privilege."_

"Privilege?"

"You bully someone because they are weaker and they can not fight back, in Bastion you can kill. If you don't like someone you can just take them out and if you bully someone? Sure you might be stronger than then now but later on? In the field or when your back is turned? Knives, poison and sneak attacks can take down the best of us. Bullying others here is a risk not only are you making a target on your back; you are not protected from any retaliation from the others."

"So you are just asking for it then," Jaune said as Kage nodded taking another long drag from his cigarette.

"Sure are you are one drawing attention to yourself, two making everyone know that you are picking on someone weaker that makes you look weak that only incites harm to your own person. And three in Beacon what's the worst that would happen? A slap to the wrist? On both? Here you can have your fucking head gone." Kage hissed as Jaune nodded.

"Makes sense."

"Besides to much fucking work, we spent our time trying to earn our way back into normal life sure we kill each other on a day to day basis, but we don't bully. If you are going to fuck someone over do it all the way, kill them or leave them alone. No use making it longer than necessary." Kage said not seeing why people really tried to bully. If you wanted something you take it, generally and if you want to make someone serve you, that was an odd thing to do.

You needed to do it right not the way Jaune's bully did the key difference between successful, and that debacle was one very, important concept retaliations.

You tend to not want to bully extort someone, anyone, really who has in any way shape or form power over you. Be that physical psychological or in Jaune's case powerful friends who might just kneecap yours for talking shit.

Jaune was weak of that Kage had no doubt when he first saw Jaune he thought that he would fall over and fold like a house of cards the first time a Grimm yawned to his general direction and if not for an impossible amount of character he would not have lasted so far as to fall into Bastion.

This was a key thing to know especially if the person you blackmail might just save your life, you tend to want to keep people who can save your ass happy as a rule of thumb a rule his bully seemed to finally get.

"I... that all is so far in the past now it feels like a dream, Beacon, Pyrrha, freedom. I wonder if they miss us?"

"I doubt it, no offense but you are technically dead, you and Ruby are not with the living anymore, and as far as they are concerned, you are deep in the cold dead ground." Kage sucked har taking half of his cigarette down making a harsh coughing sounds as he finished a drag.

"Good stuff. " He said as Jaune nodded his hand still on his sword hilt.

"You think that they will even want to see me back for Vytal? I mean after everything?"

"I think want is too strong of a word they will definitely be surprised to see you san's all the bullet holes in your body of that I assure you."

"What... what do you think I should tell them?"

"Tell them? The hell do you mean tell them? What do you want to do write an autobiography of your time in the worst place on Remnant to them?"

"No I mean... should I say I'm sorry? If I could have called you earlier, I would have, but things got so messy. I mean I 've been keeping Ruby safe for so long I forget about my old team."

"You do know that she does not need any of us to keep her safe? She could kill just about any one of us with little to no issue except Mika if she got the drop right?"

"I know, but she's my best friend, and I want to protect her more than anything in the world," Jaune said his cobalt eye slighting up as Kage sighed.

"Sure, if you want to be a white knight for her go ahead, I'm just saying look out and don't think too much on this."

"Don't think this is important to me."

"I'm not saying that it's not, if they truly are your friends then they will be happy to see you no matter what," Kage said as they took a corner the two began to climb a dizzying spiral staircase that leads them to the armorer, Kage had been talking of showing Jaune something before they went back to the dorms something about weapon upgrades that he was working on.

"That's the thing..." Jaune paused a wave of doubt crossed his face as Kage cocked his head.

"What's a thing? Are you trying to tell me that you really didn't have any friends at Beacon? Ruby tells me other stories, and I don't think that she is capable of lying let alone doing it for someone she likes."

"Someone she likes? She likes everyone."

"You are an odd man my leader. I hope that you get that head cracked open one of these days."

"Thanks, I needed to hear that," Jaune said rolling his eyes as she went back to his speech.

"I... have you ever thought that your friends were not really your friends?"

"Nope. Not once." Kage answered with such assuredness and quickness that it made Jaune blink.

He expected a sarcastic response and a hint of a viel insult, not a straight face honest to god answer that he could not detect a hint of deceit in it.

"You... you have never felt that?" Jaune asked the two climbing over the ridge of the staircase as the two continued the walk to the armorer.

"Nope. Once you are my friend, you are my friend. I've never doubted anyone once in my life. And I don't expect to do so in the future."

"You never had doubts not even once?"

"Nope, I am guessing that you have or you would not be speaking to me about it."

"I... Ruby's team and to an extent mine I... I've been thinking about them."

"Great you are thinking should I be scared?"

"Quit being a shit."

"Quit trying to get me killed!"

"You made it our alive in the end. Why are you complaining about it now?"

"The last time we left Bastion you tried to sell me off as a _sex slave!"_

"That was not that bad! You would have like it! I saw the face of Salem. She was good-looking man!"

"You would have sold me! Sold! S, O, L, D, _SOLD!_ You know why I don't like that!"

"I... fine that was a bad call but come on we all lived isn't that what matters?"

"In the end... yes as long as we all walk out more or less alive what am I complaining about? Not like any of us beside you and maybe Ruby expect to live to see our thirties."

"Why are you so pessimistic?"

"Why? I have a collar on my neck that ma blow off my head in a moment notices, I live in one of the worst places in the world, and my future is looking like risking my life for people that don't know me will not thank me and will not know I exist so I can excuse myself for being a bit of a dick ok?"

"I... look I was just thinking..."

"Here we go again."

"Stuff it, my friends did not know me."

"Did not know you?"

"They... they thought I was weak."

"You _were_ weak."

"I know! I know! And I fought, and I, and I finally got stronger! Right now I know I can beat anyone from RWBY! Maybe even my own team!"

"Good for you now live until Vytal and beat their asses into the arena floor on national tv ok?"

"I... They looked down on me..."

"You were weak. I would have looked down on you. Or ignored you really either or."

"That is the problem! They will blame me for this!"

"For what?"

"When we get back Ruby is hurt! They are going to take one look at her and one at me, and I instantly get the blame!"

"The blame?"

"Her sister is going to lose her shit! Yang always thought I was weak if she sees how hurt Ruby is she's going to try to kill me!"

"You just said you could beat her ass, how is she a threat?"

"She's not! I could take Yang! But her, Weiss maybe even Blake!? They will blame me for Ruby being injured!" Jaune hissed his fist balled up into tight knobs making Kage look at his leader curiously.

"How is that a bad thing or your fault?"

"Because they don't know jack shit! They don't know how hard I fought! How much I did to keep her safe! The sacrifices I made the struggle I did! Everything that happened is automatically going to be Ruby is the victim! She is the one who took the hit for Jaune! Jaune is the weak link who got Ruby hurt when nothing can be further than the truth!"

"If it's not true why do you care? If people talk shit to you, ignore them. It's not that hard man just do it." Kage said like it was the simplest thing.

"But they will speak! They will say I hurt Ruby! That her pain is my fault-

"Fuck me," Kage said not missing a beat killing his cigarette sucking it dry stamping the remains on his boot with a hard thunk.

"Fuck em if they don't like you or try to judge when they were never ther then they can all go to hell," Kage said lighting another cigarette as Jaune sighed.

"I... I know I'm just tired of being blamed for things... I know I was weak. I know I was the liability, but I tried, and I got better."

"There you go you got better you are better than you where in Beacon what are you worried about?" Kage asked enjoying another long drag of smoke Jaune sighed taking a drag sucking his down to half as he paused turning to Kage.

"I just want to be _better, I need_ to be better not just for Ruby but for me man. You get it?"

"You want to get better I get it. I like it keep it up, and one day you will be better now come on we need to get these weapons looked at for a second."

"What are we going to look at? I mean I don't think that my weapons can be upgraded anymore."

"Maybe not but you can always check plus you need to take a second to look at something I got something special to show you."

"Really? Am I going to like it or is this going to be the first time you end up almost getting me killed?" Jaune asked a thin smile on his lips Kage shook his head giving him another smoke.

"Just suck this and followed me."

"I don't like guys."

"Hah, that makes one of us."

"What?"

"Eh, I'm not picky now come on. We got to get some _upgrades."_

* * *

Ruby was having a bad day, something was eating her classmates literally. OVer two dozen teams had gone missing in the last two weeks, and so far there was literally nothing no evidence no suspect, not nothing! I was like something was hunting them pulping them into a fine mist and then vanishing into thin air!

 _"Ruby I do not know what could be doing this, form the information we were given by Merrick it is not a student, and there is little chance a Grimm could have gotten into the school I am stumped."_ her eyes said as Ruby nodded she had no idea what to think only that she needed to find out what the hell was going on.

"Maybe we can ask Jaune? Not tell, tell him but spitball with him?"

 _"That might not work Jaune is smart; he will ask questions that we might not be able to answer. Let us keep this to ourselves for the time being."_

"That makes sense fine I guess I need to work this one out for my own good, dammit I-

 _Ding!_ Her scroll rang someone was calling her?

"Hello?" Ruby asked as a rushed panicky voice came from the other end.

 _"RUBY!"_

"Felicia? That you?"

 _"Yes, it is I don't know how to say this, but there is something I need your help with!"_

"And what is that?"

 _"Well, you see I'm looking for someone! Something!"_

"Something?"

 _"Yes something is missing from one of our labs and I need your help to find out just what the hell it is!"_

"Felicia, you sound a bit worried are you feeling ok?"

 _"NO! No, I am not! Ruby if you see anything out of the ordinary just call me! And do NOT let it touch you! FOR GOD'S SAKE DO NOT LET IT TOUCH YOU!"_

"Felicia I-

 _"Incoming object!"_ Her eyes said as Ruby was suddenly tossed off the ground something hit her with enough power that it lifted her up and off the ground, Ruby gagged her body flew ten feet back her world spun as she skidded on the ground.

"Ow! What the hell!"

"Ohh my goodness! Are you ok!" A sharp voice said as Ruby groaned her eyes rolled in her head spots dance in her one natural eye as she cleared her vision she saw a girl standing above her she was short, barely taller than Ruby she had short, unruly hair that looked like it had never so much as _seen_ a comb and was colored a bright fiery red hair and pink eyes?

Her skin the color of milk and she wore a pure white and red outfit. White shirt that hurt to stare a color of white so bright and sharp that it stabbed to stare, her outfit was flawless not a bit of dust or dirt on her white shirt and top with blood red lines down it. She smiled warmly as Ruby shook her head.

"OW! You hit me!"

"I did, and I am so sorry! I will not do so again!" The girl said as Ruby sighed.

"It's ok. I got to go through."

"Goodbye!"

"See you, friend," Ruby said as the girl gasped her hands flew to her face as she blurred up to Ruby her eyes burning?

"Did you just call me friend!?"

 _Dejavu?_

"Yes? I did my name is Ruby-

"Hello, friend Ruby! My name is _Nickel!"_

* * *

 **AN: And that is it! Ruby is on the hunt for whatever is _munching_ her classmates. Jaune and Kage are getting some upgrades and had some heart to heart. And Ruby meets a new _friend..._ Look out everyone cause _Nickel_ might turn you into _chump change!_ Thanks for reading and _The Apprentice_ is next!**

* * *

 **Omake. _Hero of Remnant_ part 2 part _2 four_ _Never enough enemies._**

Jaune was well used to the sight of death, the dead dull look in some pour bastards eyes as they let thier life drip out of them the way the mouth's of the damned hung open screaming some silent cry to whatever god's they believed in. Jaune never felt much pity for the dead, mainly because they were often trying to do the same to him. _No sense felling mercy for this trying to kill you._ Jaune thought as he ducked the swing of a blade some foolish enemy had tried to take him off at the neck, a large man with a brown skin the color of milk chocolate and hair as black as night swung a saber him Jaune ducked raised his pistol pointing it between his eyes and pulled the trigger. There was a quick flash of light followed by a hiss of penetration and the smell of burning flesh.

 _Fisht!_ The man fell he dropped his bland and fell to his knees, Jaune was already moving the dead would stay dead for the most part and if they did not? Well, then he would just have to order a small fleet to virus bomb the city simple. As he moved another man attacked this one got itno melee and ate a gut full of _Crocea Mors_ for his efforts. The man screamed a sound so high pitched and painful Jaune winced. He saw the man's guts shredded by his roaring chain blade.

The weapon tore out his guts killing him in a few seconds Jaune _dug_ his blade in almost severing him in two the man fell without a word. As he died the horrible _bark_ of a bolter filled his ears along with the antic smell of prom. There was a loud _fwoosh_ of flame as Yang came to his side her combi-bolter blaring out a massive column of flame.

 _"Hah! Am I too hot for you?"_ Yang asked the screaming man falling to his knees her fell crying to some god for mercy as she incinerated the poor sod. As he fell her bolt rounds tore apart the scant enemies approaching them massive explosive rounds that could penetrate armored vehicles tore into flesh and bone. _Burrowing_ into enemies before detonating them into meaty chunks of flesh and bone.

Jaune winced as the dull _thud, splat_ of her weapons bark filled his ears.

"Really Yang, puns?" Jaune asked loosing off two shots with his pistol two enemies dropped hard their bodies hit the floor bolts in their chest and forehead Yang grinned as she smiled evily wreaking havoc on the fleeing enemies.

"You know you love me!"  
"More so that I should," Jaune said as the fight raged on the city street fight turned into a massive as the few imperials tore the enemy apart with bolt and las.

"Sir, I think we have this one," Ren said hell pistols flashing a few traitors became twisted melting piles of flesh and bone dying a _very_ painful end.

"I think so to Ren."  
"Shall I make tea?" Ren ingqure phelgamtic and ufnlappabel as he always was.

"Sir! The enemy is in full retreat!"  
"Hell yeah! Go us!" Yang sais Ruby snapped Jaune a sharp salute and he nodded his head to her.

"Good work everyone but let's not get cocky something is very wrong here," Jaune said kicking a body two extra clawed arms came forward the side as Ruby gasped.

"Hybrids!" The commander yelled as Jaune nodded.

"Sure are."  
"Hell do I have to purge the whole hab block!?"  
"I don't know Yang but what I do know is this we have a Genstalr infestation and I need to call an _inquisitor..."_


	48. Pillar two, Nickel

**AN: And we are back baby! Ruby is in trouble! So is all or Arkham! Penny's Bastion counterpart is on the loose and boy! Is she _Friendly!_ Also a lot of people die.**

* * *

"Hello! I am Nickel! Who are you?" The tall odd girl with a pure white loose fitting one piece asked her eyes blood red her hair a sharp pink as Ruby blinked.

"I'm Ruby-"

 _WARNING! Something's not right about this girl! Ruby! I recommend extreme precautions!_ Her eye said locking onto the girl smiling offering a hand, Ruby smiled as she nodded.

 _I got you._

"Thanks," Ruby said gripping the sleeve of the girl as she pulled herself up not touching her outstretched hand keeping her flesh away from hers as she was yanked up.

"AH!" Ruby eeped as Nickel pulled her up smiling warmly at her fellow Bastion student. Nickel pulled Ruby up like she weighed less than air, yanking her in the air making her legs flail out.

"Ah! Nickel!?" Ruby shouted her face flushing as she was pulled up high into the air. Ruby kicked out as she was pulled back down to the floor. Nickel smiled widely at her as Ruby gulped.

"Nickel! You are really strong!" Ruby said as Nickel smiled showing off rows of white teeth as she cocked her head.

"Thanks, friend Ruby! I know that I am strong! I was built tough!"

"I see..." Ruby trailed of Nickel seemed off, she grinned widely not moving an inch her death like grip on her wrist seemed to never once fade-

 _There is something wrong with her_. Her eye said zooming in it scanned her as an **ERROR** flashed on her display.

 _Error?_

 _There is something wrong! I can not scan her! It's like she is deflecting my scans-_

"Oh! You have a bionic eye! What model is it? Can it project energy blasts at enemies from over twenty feet and what kind of wattage and power output does it utilize in its attacks?" Nickel asked cocking her head as Ruby paused not sure how to reply.

"I... yes? It does use energy attacks but I don't know the power wattage of it, or how much energy it uses."

"Oh, a shame! I will have to find it out from you at a later date!"

"Ummm sure? I mean yeah! I can hang out with you?"

"Of course you can! You said we are friends! You said so yourself so I would be hard-pressed to not hang out with you, friend Ruby!" Nickel said sliding her feet together as she grinned warmly, Ruby felt her blood turn cold something was wrong with Nickel, something was very off.

For one Nickel looked perfect, literally perfect. Everything about her seemed perfect, her face was a flawless circle her skin gleamed with a near spitshine and she-

 _She is not blinking._ Her eye said as Ruby paused she wasn't blinking, her bionic eye had recorded most of their conversation and after looking at its own logs Nickel had not blinked once.

 _I... how can she not even blink?_

"Friend Ruby? Is everything ok? You seem to be distressed, what is the matter? If you feel troubled just ask your friend Nickel and she will help you through it!"

"So... you gonna say something or do _I_ say something?" Venke asked as Jaune paused, him Venke, and Mika all looked at the newcomer, Nickel was her name and Jaune did not know what to think of her.

* * *

She seemed to be a new friend of Ruby who had joined them for lunch-

"She's not eating," Venke said as Jaune paused it was true Nickel was not eating her meal not that she had any. Ruby had her traditional plate of cookies, Jaune a burger, Venke steak, and Mika fish and seafood. Nickel had none she just had an empty tray with an empty glass on it as she smiled.

"So... Ruby... tell me again how you met Nickel?"

"Oh! Well, we bumped into each other in the hallway and then we sort of became friends?"

"Exactly! Me and Ruby are now friends! I hope that we all will be friends as well!" Nickel said smiling to Jaune cocking her head and-

"She's _not_ human." Mika deadpanned her eyes narrowed into slits her green eyes locked onto Nickel as she let out a growl.

"Not human? Friend Mika I am as human as the rest of you!"

 _"Friend?_ Since-"

"Ok! Mika, Nickel is our friend, she is Ruby's friend so she is also our friend ok?" Jaune asked as Mika glared at Nickel like she was a parasite. Feasting off the host of the four of them.

"I don't know who she is." Mika spat as Venke rolled his eyes.

"She's Ruby's friend there is nothing more to it. She found a friend what's so hard to believe about that?"

"Thank you friend Venke! But I am more than Ruby's friend! I am your friend as well, and you mine! This is a friendship circle! Not a lone line."

"I... sure." He said as Ruby's eye zoomed in.

 _She does not have germs._

 _What?_

 _In a five-foot area around her, there are no microbial organisms._

 _What? How is that possible?_

 _I do not know, but somehow there are no microbes within five feet of her they are..._

 _They are?_

 _Dead. Something about her is killing them when she moved the surviving ones fill in the void but wherever she goes she is sterilizing the area if that makes sense. It's like she is_ _ **culling**_ _life around her._

 _That... that really does not sound very good._

 _IT is not very good, I do not know how this will affect us we will need to think of a way to find out just what she is-_

"Ok! Scoot over I needs a fucking seat."

"Zach?" Jaune asked the boy came with Hino both with trays full of meat, lamb, and pork.

"Hello. It is good to see you."

"Save it, Hino, they don't need a damn hello."

"It is nice to see you too Zach."

"Look who got some balls, Jaune how the hell are-

"Hey! Zach!" A voice said as a boy an initiation student walked up to him smiling as he reached out a hand Nickel moved her left hand flying back her bare palm briefly for the smallest of seconds grazed his palm and-

The boy _popped,_ literally, he exploded like a water balloon. Blood flying everywhere painting the seven of them in offal. Death was not something new to anyone in Bastion, the death of one student especially an initiation student was nothing to bat your eye at. As the student's life ended while their lives end was nothing special being covered in over a gallon of blood, bone, organs, and puss was definitely something the students did not like.

"What the _fuck!?"_ Zach screamed flicking his hands his body painted crimson, Jaune spat out a piece of meaty flesh raising his pistol as the plasma-based weapon hummed to life, he thought they were under attack!

"Ruby!"

"I'm ok!" Ruby said spitting out blood Hino gagged her brown skin painted the color of Kage's armor.

Hino spat out the blood cleaning her drills on the table glaring at Nickel who sat still as a statue her eyes still unblinking as she had enough he hissed as he wiped the last bits of blood from his face.

"Nickel!?"

"The fuck was that?!" Zach hissed as he got the last bits of blood off of him.

"Did he try to attack you!?" Zach yelled as Nickel paused her head cocked long lines of bloody flesh flinging down hanging off her pale cheeks like some kind macabre cobweb.

"No. I do not believe he was being hostile to me. Why?" Nickel asked cocking her head making those long gooey red lines of flesh with odd pieces of bone sticking out sway like some kind of horrific windchime.

"Then why the fuck did you do... _that!?_ To him!" Zach yelled gesturing at the _brust_ students grisly remains as he waved his arms lacking the vocabulary to describe this trauma…

"I do not know what you are talking about, I did not attack him." Nickel said a frown on her face.

"Are you telling me that he just fucking popped!?"

"No."

"Then what are you saying Nickel? And please give me an answer I will like." Jaune said pulling out his pistol taking it from his face and putting it on the table he let the weapon hum as he glared death at Nickel.

Who to her credit took his by now intimidating death glare in stride not even blinking.

 _She never blinks._ Jaune thought as he shook his head

"Well I do not know what you think I did but he touched me and that tends to happen whenever people touch me."

"What, they just fucking explode!?" Zach said the indignation clear in his voice as she nodded?

"Yes. That is exactly what happens when people touch me. They often find it hard to keep their internal organs inside of them and this is the result." She said flicking a bit of flesh off her face as Jaune gagged.

"You... you make people explode?" Jaune asked doubt in his face as Nickel nodded.

"Yes. But only if the made direct skin contact with me otherwise there is no risk!" Nickel said as if that made it any fucking better.

"You... you just fucking kill anyone that touches you?" Jaune asked his fear seeping into his voice as Nickel nodded.

"Yes. I do not like to do it but it is a sad fact of my life."

"How?!" Ruby asked her bionic eye glaring at Nickel her laser charging in preemptive defense measures.

"Oh! I can explain! I have a built-in _organic repulsor_ field on me! It acts as a defense from organic enemies!" Nickel said proudly as all of Arkham except Mika backed off inching away from the petite death dealer as Ruby spoke.

"You! You are killing germs!"

"Ah, you noticed? Your eye I take it? Yes, my _organic repulsor_ field neutralizes all microscopic life in a five-foot radius of my current location! If a more compact organism touches me they are annihilated instantly!" Nickel said with a fist pump, that sent a wave of blood and what looked suspiciously like brain flying towards Jaune making him duck.

"So... so you just fucking touch someone and they _pop?_ " Zach asked black eyes shaking in fear as Nickel nodded.

"Yes! Please observe!" She said as she turned to initiation students walked by ignoring the carnage as any good Bastion student would.

 _"Observe_ friends!" Nickel said taking out her hands poking both students in the neck.

There was a sound like a wet bag of sand being ripped open both students popped! Blood flew like a rain shower, the awful smell of innards filled the air as the two students were shredded like a sack of flour!

Their trays clattered to the floor make horrible sinking sounds as the fell into pools of offal Arkham and their two friends gagged almost vomiting as Nickel smiled.

"See! I just need to touch someone for my organic repulsor field to activate!"

"You mean your fucking murder field!?" Zach said spitting out what looked like a sick ball of pulp. the boy was covered head to toe in blood just like everyone else, Jaune was still spitting out more awful tasting meat as only Mika frowned taking her hand and licking it once before frowning.

"They taste better _if_ you take the time to cook them. Raw is never good everyone knows that! Damned amateurs making us look bad!" Mika hissed as Jaune ignored her as he glared at Nickel.

"You. You are not here to hurt us are you?"

"Why would I? I have no reason to."

"I... good. But why are you here?"

"I... I do not know! I do not know what I am doing in this school do you?"

"I... I've never met you before in my life. How would I know anything about you?"

"I... I do not know. But I was hoping that you would! I am quite lonely not knowing about myself, but! It is good that I have friends here to support me!" She said patting Ruby's blood-soaked head making her _eep!_

"RUBY!" The entire table yelled at once as Nickel frowned.

"Calm down friends. As long as I avoid direct skin to skin contact there is no danger. See! Observe while I touch Friends Zach's back!"

"You will fucking not!" Zach hissed as she slapped him on his back.

He screamed! A total un-masculine feminine scream left his lip as she slapped him on the back. His eyes shutting as nothing... her hand bounced off his back armor coated in gore.

"You see! No skin to skin contact and you are perfectly safe!"

"I don't feel fucking safe," Zach grumbled as Nickel paused.

"Not that any of you were in danger! You are all my friends and I would never let anything like that befall you! You do not harm your friends after all! Right?" Nickel asked a hint of worry in her voice like she almost offended them.

"It's... it's ok Nickel no one is mad at you." Jaune said reassuring her as let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh good! I thought that I had in some way offended you! I will do better in the future!" She said as she bowed to them.

All of the teams looked awkwardly at her as if not sure just how to react to such a murderous and lethal presence in their midsts.

 _DING!_ Jaune felt his scroll go off looking down he let a frown fall over his face.

"You have got to be shitting me." Jaune hissed as Kage raised his eyebrows the boy had shielded his tubers and steak making sure no offal landed on them and was back to, as usual, eating his meal like three people had not been reduced to globs of meat, puss, and bone in the span of less than a minute as he sighed.

"Something wrong Boss?" Kage asked taking a tuber pouring salt over it and stuffing it in his mouth.

"Besides the death and mayhem? Yes. Ludo just called he wants us in his office for a mission." Arkham groaned the did not know what hell Ludo was going to throw them in but none were eager to take the first step into it.

"Well it was fun knowing you lot, hope you don't die too bad this time," Zach said already taking out a cigarette.

"If I'm covered in fucking gunk before one I'm going to fucking smoke damn it." He hissed as Jaune sighed, he could also-

"Here you go," Kage said putting a cigarette in his mouth lighting it once as Jaune nodded inhaling deeply.

"Thanks, Kage I needed that," Jaune said as Kage nodded.

"Sure thing it looks like today is going to be a _long_ fucking day."

* * *

"Friend Kage! Friend Jaune! While I do respect your autonomy and I know I am a new friend and as such am much lower on our social ladder but must you consume products that will end your lives sooner rather than later? Is that a wise choice?" Nickel asked as Jaune groaned today just got complicated...

"I must say that the line of thinking you have shown me is quite a fascination! I did not think that since your life expectancy is so low that any self-harming products that produce negligible short term gain at long terms harms would be insignificant!" Nickel said the new tag along for Arkham had followed them not that they asked for her too but she seemed to get attached and since no one wanted to risk pissing off the girl who could pop you like a balloon she was allowed to come along for the ride.

As they walked Ruby was texting trying to get the blood off her scroll semi succeeding but finding it difficult there was over a gallon of it on her, after all, she needed a shower badly. That and a new pair of clothes.

 _Ruby. I do not know if you have read this but I have found a development in the case files. As it turns out the old theory of them being eaten is now out of the window. After careful digging and I mean that in the most literal way possible, we have determined that the amount of mass we found at the crime scene is a near perfect match for the missing teams._ _As in they were not eaten but shredded by something. Whatever this is, it is not a Grimm. Keep your eyes out for anything unusual and keep your head down. I can't have my favorite debate partner taken out so soon can I?_

Merrick texted her as Ruby paused her eye zooming in.

 _They were not eaten? So they were shredded, Ruby you know what this means?_

 _No, I do not._

 _RUBY!_

 _You saw the footage! There was nothing in it with her! How can she have done that? Unless she can go through walls you mean?_

 _No, I do not._

 _RUBY!_

 _You looked at the video feed! There is no way that she could have done it! Besides we don't have any other proof so we need to keep this to ourselves. We will go to Merrick after this and we will see what happens then._ Ruby thought, putting the argument to end as her eye sighed.

If you say so I still think trusting her is a bad idea.

Who said anything about trusting her? I'm just curious about what she is Ruby said, her scroll beeping! According to it, Nickel was whatever the hell the Mechanics had lost track of, not that it made sense to her.

I guess we will find out soon enough. Her eyes said as they reached the massive wooden door.

"Ok everyone let me do the talking," Jaune said as the team nodded the door swung open and they plus Nickel moved as one.

"Ahh, team Arkham I have been expecting you-

What happened to you?" Ludo asked his cocky smile vanishing as he froze team Arkham looked like they had been in a spray of blood and guts.

"Incident in the cafeteria," Jaune said as Ludo nodded.

"I see now onto the mission this is going to be a rough one alright? There is a town fully overrun by Grimm and I need you all to clear it out before the sun rises tomorrow-"

"Hello, Ludo!" Nickel said jumping forward as Ludo froze his jaw fell open as his glasses fell down his face a look of pure terror overcame his face and even Miss Heil looked ready to scream bloody murder.

"Nickel!? How did you get out!?"

"I don't know! Now, what mission are me and my new friends going on?"

 _"N- NONE!_ Team Arkham your services are not needed as of this moment... please go back to your room and take _that_ with you!" Ludo said fear in his face his body pushing back as he eyed Nickel like she was some kind of monster in human form.

"Sir? You ok?" Jaune asked never seeing the enigmatic man so scared. Ludo looked like he had actually seen a demon. Nickel was terrifying him and Jaune was going to milk that train.

"Sir this is Nickel she-"

"How are you alive man!?" Ludo shouted no composure in his voice he was shaken terrified, his eyes darted back and forth he knew what Nickel was and her apparent not killing them was shaking him.

"How am I alive? I was not killed."

"But how!? It is right there!"

"It? What it sir? I only see my team and Nickel."

"Do not toy with me Arc! How the hell is it not attacking you!?"

"Attacking him? Why would I attack my friend Ludo?" Nickel asked as Ludo paused an odd look on his face before an enigmatic grin appeared.

"Well then if she is your friend? Why don't I make some arrangements for your team Jaune? To see how friendly you are."

Ludo said a predatory look on his face as Jaune looked at Kage, the boy had an irritated but not surprised look on his face still coated in offal.

"Sir?"

"I think that Nickel! Would be a fine addition to your team! Think an Auxiliary member!" Ludo said clapping his hands as Jaune froze.

"Nickel? On our team?"

"I won't stand for it!" Mika said stomping her foot on the ground glaring at Ludo who rolled his eyes.

"Miss Heil?"

"You do not have a choice in the matter, _girl."_ Miss Heil said choosing her words carefully glaring at Mika her blood eyes not leaving the girl as she growled.

"Sir. I do not think that it would be wise to let her stay in our room-"

"Friend Jaune? What is wrong? Have I done something to offend you?"

"N-no Nickel I just do not want any accidents to happen. I mean you might tap us or we might tap you and we don't want that to happen now do we?" Jaune said in his most diplomatic tone as Nickel pause.

"I would not do that and my reflexes are more than enough to avoid any clumsiness on your part, I assure you friend Jaune! That I pose no threat to this team and will only be an asset!" Nickel said saluting as flesh flung out form her arms smacking Jaune and Ruby on the head making Ruby quail.

"Sir-"

"The decision is final, you now have a fifth team member Jaune you are the leader make sure Nickel is welcome," Ludo said as he licked his teeth.

* * *

"Well you know what they say, it never rains in Bastion but it does _pour,"_ Merrick said looking at the solid mass of assorted pulped meat on his tray. He was poking around the evidence if you wanted to call the shredded remains of three teams to evidence that.

Really it was like someone had just stuffed them until they exploded.

"A dangerous semblance if it exists," Merrick mumbled as he sighed.

"This is a right mess, good and proper you know?" Merrick asked as he looked up the sound of walking boots filled his ears as it appeared that one of his contacts had finally decided to show up after taking their damned sweet time to come to him.

"What's a mess?" Ruby asked walking next to her handler shooting him an icy glare that Merrick ignored, he was above such petty things, as Ruby walked next to him.

"Well besides the whole situation?"

"And the table," Ruby added dryly making a heaving motion as Merrick starred at his scroll.

"Fascinating only non-organic material was affected."

"Say what?" Ruby asked leaning in as Merrick showed her his scroll.

"The students, it looks like any artificial body parts are in working order, they were not affected by whatever was attacking these students though I am starting to think that there was no attack to speak of," Merrick said as he narrowed his crimson eyes.

"No fights?"

"Yes, look it seems that after an extensive splatter analysis that I had to do personally, something that I regret to inform you have taken minutes from my life."

"Poor you, whatever would I do if you died a few minutes earlier?"

"Maybe be a bit less sarcastic? I could kill you, you know?"

"That would waste me, and you told me more than once that you absolutely hated people who wasted anything, I think I am rather safe for now."

"Do not get cocky, Rose. I like using you I do not need you." Merrick warned as he shook his head.

"Back to business, it looks like from splatter reports that they burst literally and from what we can see it looks like they popped, I will need to find a better word." Merrick sighed as Ruby shook her head.

"Actually popped is a _very_ accurate way to describe it," Ruby said looking down at Merrick's scroll as he paused giving her a curious look as he raised one eyebrow to her.

"What does that mean Rose? What do you mean accurate?"

"Well, I mean what I said, that is an accurate way to describe what happens to them trust me," Ruby said shaking her head as Merrick sniffed.

"You smell like blood, a lot."

"I was covered in it today."

"A fight? I'm assuming you won?"

"Not really but I think I know what is killing people?"

"And you did not start off our conversation with that? Rose that is not what a debate partner does. Please tell me anything you know so I don't look like more of an ass." Merricks said as Ruby grinned her bionic eye zoomed out and-

"Down!" Ruby yelled hitting the floor Merrick acted without thinking just as a whip! Of a round passing by the area where his head was, came as he fell.

He hit the floor of the classroom that he was using as a makeshift examination room grunting regretting using the room and not the official IA quarters to do his work.

"What the hell!?" Ruby yelled pulling out Crescent Rose, as Merrick drew his knife and pistol taking a look over the fragile desk to see two faunus students firing and walking in.

"It looks like our friends from the church have come bearing the good news, how grand." He hissed dipping back down behind the desk, Ruby groaned taking her gun flipping it upside down as she pulled. _Crack!_ The gun fired and a scream of pain was heard.

"I didn't hear bone shatter."

"His aura is up!" Ruby hissed back as Merrick rolled his eyes.

"Excuses never make you grow up Ruby!" He hissed shooting up from cover there were four more faunus three male one female he aimed his hand cannon for the one on his knees there was a loud bang! That filled the air followed by another the one on the ground had his head vanish in a puff of red and pink the one next to him met a similar fate as the hand cannon broke apart his aura as Merrick fell back to curses as a fresh hail of gunfire filled the air.

"You see? Not that hard." Merrick said tossing his head at the enemies now swearing bloody murder at them.

"Oh don't be a fucking show off!" Ruby hissed as she popped out of cover her eye scanning the environment.

 _Six hostiles all armed, all moving, aura full on all of the scanning, aiming targeting solutions mapped fire!_ Ruby pulled the trigger four bullets fired, two broke the aura of one man killing him the others shattered two auras, the female, a lion faunus with a tail had part of her skull caved in by pure kinetic force falling to the ground screaming in agony as another man was blown back several feet.

Ruby dipped down as the surviving faunus poured on the fire, their wooden desk suddenly appearing very unstable as bullets ripped it apart.

"I think we need to find a new place to hide!" Ruby said already panicking they needed to get out of here and quick!

"Move!" Merrick said as they both rolled out of the way of the bullets. Rolling to a fresh desk, Merrick nodded his head to the few enemies still attacking.

"Well? What are you waiting for? We can't stay here!" Merrick said as Ruby sighed nodding as she jumped over the table.

 _Run!_ Her eye said as she kicked off her semblance blurring up she slicked down at one man taking off his leg in one sweep of her scythe.

He screamed in pain making it easier for her to switch into sniper form blowing his head off with one long _crack!_ His body twitched a fresh shower of blood erupting from his head as Ruby groaned.

"I just washed!" She hissed before tossing herself flat barley avoiding the fire of another student, a bull faunus white silver horns.

"You ass! He-"

The man screamed Merricks knife sunk into his ankle slicing clean past his Achilles' tendons. The man screamed falling to the floor as he yanked out his blade before stabbing him in the back of the head in one fluid nothing.

The next moment there was a bang! Of fire as a man was lifted off the ground.

His head erased by a hand cannon blast.

"That is how you do it." Merrick teased as Ruby growled her whipped out her auto-mauler for the retreated three there was a harsh _BRAKA! BRAKA_! Of fire as the weapon kicked! Turning them into meaty red paste. Ruby growled as she finished killing the enemies she sighed putting away her gun her arm the one without as much bionics in it hurt something fierce.

It felt like her bone was rattling like a tin can and-

"Well, that was fun."

"No, it was not." Ruby spat as-

The door flew open five more students in church clothes stormed in guns up-

 _FIZHT!_ There was the sound of crackling electricity that flowed into the air followed by the harsh antic scent of Ozone. The students popped, their bodies popping like wet balloons blood flew splattering both Ruby and Merrick painting them a deep crimson.

Both teens froze not knowing what to do the messy pulped remains of their enemies covered them hanging from the ceilings in dangling mass of red and white offal as-

"I just showered!"

"What the hell-"

"Friend Ruby! Jaune sent me!"

The voice of Nickel said as the girl skipped in happy go lucky energy pulsing Nickel skipped in smiling warmly as she bowed to the two of them.

"Nickel!? What are you-"

"Friend Jaune has told me to come to get you! Now-"

"Nickel!?" Merrick shouted his voice finally losing any trace of calm as Nickel paused.

"Yes? That is my name who are you?" She asked as Merrick grinned.

"Me I am a friend of Ruby."

"A friend of hers is a friend of mine!"

"Good! Now them Nickel since you are here do you want a _job_?"

* * *

 **An: Well! That was a chapter! Arkham gains a new member! Ludo is fucking scared for once! And Penny's Bastion double is now in full swing! The next part of the story is the first _mission_ for Arkham plus Nickel and well... that's going to be _fun!_ Until next time Brave Sir Robinson is next and then Dragonslayer! Until then? Omake...**

* * *

 **Omake.** _ **Hero of remnant part Two, Friends of yours?**_

"Jaune? You know her?" Yang asked the Battle sister raising her combi melta aiming it at Sienna who looked like she could care less that a gun that could vaporize her from reality was being aimed by a person that would love to do nothing more than vaporize her from reality and was probably thinking of doing it as she spoke.

Jaune instantly moved in front of Yang to prevent an incident, he did not need that headache. A full-on war with Menagerie would not be a war that the Imperium could not win, hell Menagerie would have their teeth kicked in.

The Imperium was simply too large and vast and with more resources to throw at the smaller island pseudo enemy often neutral area. Jaune held up his hands to Yang to calm her as he smiled.

"Wait! She is a friend! Please don't kill her!"

"You are friends with a faunus from Menagerie?" Yang asked raising her eyebrow her melta now pointed squarely at Jaune himself making him sweat.

Sisters of battle were never known for their tact in combat, more of a blunt force weapon that could light people on fire and send them screaming to their deaths while laughing and chanting in the process.

As Yang waved her weapon around Jaune panicked he felt his face go slick with sweat and he knew that he needed to say something before this situation went from awkward to deadly.

"OK! Yang this is my friends Sienna! And Sienna this is my friend Yang!" Jaune said as Ren slid to his side the phlegmatic aide and best friend of Jaune took up his position as Jaune nodded.

"Commissar," Ren said not making much contact but nodding once at Sienna who smiled.

"Hello Ren, how are you?"

"Ma'am."

"Sienna! What are you doing here? In the Imperium? Away from Menagerie? And around me!" Jaune hissed not sure that he should be talking or shooting her and-

"Ma'am." A faunus soldier said as he walked in behind her bis armor a bright tan with a blue mark on his arm, signifying rank. The man was one of ten, ten faunus soldiers in high tech armor appeared-

"You brought soldiers!? To Imperial territory!?"

"They are my bodyguard detail. I need them to keep me safe-"

"This looks like an act of war if you ask me," Yang asked walking forward lifting her weapon once more like all of the soldiers drew their weapons puls girles charging up with a sharp whine of power cells reaching a maximum.

"Oh? And they point their weapons at a member of his holy order? That is asking for it." Yang said licking her lips as Jaune felt his boots shake.

"Yang!" Ruby hissed falling in behind the commander of the 118th was nervous silver eyes flickering as-

"Ok! Everyone calm down! we are all friends here-

Jaune's words were interrupted as a bang! Rang out a Genestealer that no one had seen fell dead missing its head on the floor as-

"Jaune."

"Emerald?" Jaune asked the green haired inquisitorial aide walked up putting away one auto pistol as she nodded.

"Who the fuck are you?" Yang asked as Emerald ignored her. Walking up to them.

 _"Jaune Ciaphas Arc._ You are hereby required to attend to Pyrrha Nikos Inquisitor of the Imperium as soon as possible. Please let me escort you." Emerald said as Sienna and Yang paused as both women lowered their stances and turned to him as one lilac and blue blinked and-

"Friends of yours?"


	49. soliloquy pillar two, one of us?

**AN: OK! We are BACK! Bastion is back and we are moving on to the midway point of part two! Yeahs it's coming fast soon the _twist_ is going to happen and well... if you like death! You will _have_ it!**

* * *

 _"Job?_ What do you mean job?" Nickel asked pausing the fleshy goopy remains of the faunus assailants splattered all around her. Fleshy lines of intestines and body parts hung from the ceiling like grisly streamers as she blinked owlishly cocking her head, her red eyes wide as she paused.

"Merrick is your name."

"Oh, you know me? Well, I can't say that I am surprised I am well known-

"I know that you are not the friend of friend Ruby. And if you are not her friend than you are no friend of mine." Cobalt hissed raising her hands a purple glow appearing on her fingertips, her eyes narrowed as Merrick paused taking a step back and wincing as his head pivoted to Ruby.

"Ruby! Please inform our new mutual acquaintance that I am a friend of yours like you just said!" Merrick hissed as Ruby paused this was a perfect time to get rid of Merrick and-

"If you don't! You know what might happen to Jaune!" Merrick warned showing his scroll as-

"Nickel wait!"

"Yes, friend Ruby? What can I do for you?"

"He... he really is my friend... don't hurt him."

"As you say, friend!" Nickel said powering down her strange energy emitters as she powered down her weapons. Or her arms?

 _They are one and the same Ruby. Her arms appear to be her weapons._

 _What the hell are they?_

 _They appear to be some type of energy weapons? They seem to project a type of energy that shreds organic material. They should be avoided at any and all costs._

"You said you had a job for me? What kind of job did you have in store?" Nickel asked tilting her head to stare at the somewhat taller boy. Merrick smiled an easy motion as she bowed.

"Simple. I need a new ally to help me an associate to help me in the field and I think with the combination of you and Ruby that I can find the perfect combination."

"You think I would be a good fit in your organization?" Nickel asked an odd whirring sound in her head like some kind of motor was going at full speed as Ruby narrowed her eyes both the real and mechanical eye whirred.

"Do I think that you are going to be a good fit? Well considering the... effect that you have on those that would oppose us?" Merrick said gesturing to the still dripping entrails hanging from the ceiling filling the room with the horrid smell of messy viscera Ruby fought the urge to vomit as she wished that she could just leave the freshly made charnel house and vomit out her guts in the nearest bin.

"I just asked. Do you think that I will be a good fit? I was not very well liked in my old organization what makes you think I will fit in yours?"

"Nickel trust me on this, if you come with us you will fit like a _glove."_

* * *

"Your task will be a simple one," Ludo said looking over ARKM plus... the addition the escapee from the Mechanicus labs Nickel staring at him smiling Miss Heil took several steps back as she did not quite trust the newcomer, neither did Ludo but that was neither here nor there.

A dangerous threat to all living beings or not there were Grimm to kill and children to send to their deaths and he needed to do two in one.

"You are to go to a village being overrun by Grimm. They fall under our protection and you are to save them with minimal village causality." Ludo explained the situation as simply as possible. Jaune nodded taking a step forward his thick boots clunking on the floor as he frowned.

"How many? What are we looking at?"

"Beowulf, Deathstalker types have been reported. Expect to have to punch through waves of lightly and heavily armored opponents. Expect an attack as soon as you take a foot out of the bullhead. The town is small so there is not a large number of civilians so feel free to use your more... liberal Grimm solutions."

"So you want us to bomb the place? Cause I can bomb the place. I have bombs."

"Since when?" Jaune asked not even looking back to ask Kage when and where he got and kept his bombs-

"What!? You have bombs and you did not tell me?! Venke I thought we were supposed to be friends!"

"We are friends and don't call me Venke. It's Kage for a reason."

"What kind of bombs!? What do they do!? Are the flame or shrapnel? Armor piercing or anti-personnel?"

"They are big fucking bombs what do you want?"

"How long it will take us to get to the objective, when will we be expected back and are there any variables that I should take into account before we go?" Jaune asked not letting the banter of his team get in his way.

"The mission should be simple. If you survive you will be back before the night's end. You will be expected to clear out any Grimm you see no special types have been reported so that is clear. Overall this should be an easy mission. Should be. I don't know what might be lurking out there."

"So we are going to probably get ambushed and most likely murdered in a terrible fashion right?" Kage drawled rolling his eyes his end sneaking closer-

"Do not fear friend Venke! I will protect both you and the team from all harm!" Nickel said saluting once, smiling broadly as Kage rolled his eyes.

"Call me Venke!"

"Kage!"

"Boss!"

"Enough. All of you. When do we leave? Do we need to go back to the dorm or armories?"

"No. You can and will leave now. I expect success from you all. Jaune you of all people know what will happen if you fail? You are some of my best students not only do I expect success I do _not_ tolerate failure."

* * *

"OK! Everyone _go!"_ Jaune said as he sighed the situation in the town was far, more horrible than he had thought. He was expecting some Grimm to swarm the town, not a fucking horde! A minor blanked of black swarmed in like water from a broken dam. Flooding forward in one long malevolent mass of death and destruction.

Whatever civilians were left had to be basements, some unknown shelter or some other secure location as-

"Arkm! Fire-

"I am on it!" Nickel said as she hit the ground first, the team jumped out of the craft the howl of harsh winter wind filled the air before the shrill sound of power charging, filled the air followed by the harsh antic smell of ozone as Nickel drew a mass of power to her fingers before.

"Begone!" Nickel said shooting out several waves of purple lightning out the mass of power struck it was like a glass broke the Grimm popped! It was like they were poked with some kind of needle.

They were blown apart in one smooth motion the sound of popping flesh tearing bones and fleas the monsters ranging from Beowulf to Deathstalker were blown apart like nothing but pieces of paper as Nickel slaughtered them.

"She's good," Kage said not putting away his pistols but not doing much else his booth sinking into the snow the teen sighed the once wave of Grimm were torn apart blasted into oblivion lines of guts body parts flew in grisly chunks all around.

The snow was painted red and in one second that mass of screeching cries and howls died down to almost nothing as one person ripped apart the mass of them in one fell swoop.

Nickel bowed smiling as she turned to face a shocked Arkham. Bowing to her friends the falling of bloody Grim chunks landing all around her as-

 _"Left."_

 _"Right._ " Kang and Jaune said both raising a pistol each as a bang and a fisht! Filled the air a solid slug and bolt of pure energy fired off each of them killing a Beowulf as Nickel gasped.

"AH! I missed two! I apologize Jaune and Kage! I will do better in the next mission! Please forgive me!"

"There is nothing to forgive. It's fine Nickel that..."

"That was pretty damned impressive. I got to admit terrifying as you are you definitely have your uses." Kage said as he put away his weapons the boy nodding Mika and Ruby put down Chamberlain and Crescent Rose as the girls saw no need to engage an enemy that was literally turned into paste.

"Well, that was impressive. Not that I couldn't do better.' Mika grumbled as Ruby gasped.

"Nickle you are amazing!"

"Really!? You think I amazing friend!?"

"Of course I do! You killed the Grimm by yourself! How did you do that?"

"Well like I said! I have an organic deterrent field attached to me! I can deter organic beings!"

"If you mean turn into a fine red paste as deter than yes. Not that I'm complaining. Good work Nickle you are going to fit just right in our team."

Jaune smiled the newest, not quite a human yelped pumping her fist jumping up adorably in the air in an adorable manner as Jaune smiled.

"Well, I guess we can go home? Unless anyone needs something from the town?" Jaune asked before wincing the town made of mostly wooden buildings had been more or less torn to shreds.

Most of the buildings were ripped apart torn to shreds or just broken down into small chips of wood.

"Nevermind, let's just go home. I could use a rest."

"I can dig it."

"Yay! Early mission!"

"I guess I can check my weapon?" Arkham said as the team called the bullhead back Kirara flying back as she picked up her team and the five made a trip home.

* * *

"So! Tell me, Mika! What do you think of Nickel?" Ruby asked whispering to her best Bastion friend, not Hino, Kage, Jaune or Nickle. Mike paused cocking her head humming a tune, Nickel was in the middle of Kage and Jaune both looked very uncomfortable with a being that could kill them instantly with just a _tap!_

And who was flailing her arms as roughly as she could as she asked them questions about their own lives?

"She's not human," Mika said before Ruby could reply her green eyes locked onto the girl in the white jumpsuit. She gave Nickel an off-putting glare as she did not like the woman no it the being was not a woman. Not even human really. Mika did not know exactly what Nickel was but she was not a human not really.

"She's not? What is she?"

"Some kind of a robot."

"A robot?"

"Android most likely. She is highly advanced and very deadly. But she is not human."

"You.. you think she is a robot?"

She makes a point.

"Of course she is look at her she is clearly not alive. She is not even breathing." Mika added as Ruby's mechanical eye narrowed. Zooming in to the girl a scan taking place as it zeroed in.

She is right, she is not breathing. She is imitating breath but there is not carbon dioxide output. Oxygen goes in and it comes right out. She is not engaging in the natural process of breathing... she is not human.

"Then if she is a robot what made her?" Ruby asked finally putting two and two together. Crawl asked her to keep an eye out for something that had escaped the labs and that she needed to find and look out for.

What is the plan, Ruby? If we do not return Nickel to the lab's Crawl will probably think of it as a failure at best and a betrayal at worst. I would not suggest either, one makes us look incompetent the other makes us and by extent the team and Jaune a target. Let us not do that. Her eye argued as Ruby nodded it made a point as the Vesperia flew in the sky shaking once or twice.

Bumps of turbulence filled the ship as Ruby frowned she needed a plan-

"Thinking to betray Nickel?" Mika asked taking a random guess not hitting the mark but close Ruby winced as she weakly shook her head once.

"I'm not going to betray her. She is my she is our friends. I don't want to do that."

"Well as nice as that is remember that she just joined us. We? Me you, Kage and Jaune we are a team. We have been on many missions together thick and thin we have been through it all she is new. She is not our friend is she?"

"I! She is our friend. I won't do anything to betray her."

"You do know that your ideal might just get you, Jaune and the rest of us killed?"

"I... I don't think it will."

"And why is that?"

"Because she does not want to kill us. She wants to see our team do well. IF she wanted to attack she would have done so long before now. So until she starts to act hostile I see no reason to do anything to her." Ruby said putting her foot down.

Mika rolled her eyes the innocence of her human friend was a lot to take in. She knew that humans had their emotions and that they tended to let them rule them much more than they should but it was nice. She reminded Mika of what she was trying to be and what she always wanted to be.

The problems with having more than one mind in you. They both want something else and in the end, neither can get what they want.

Mika thought smiling as she rubbed Ruby's head.

"Hey! I am not a kid!"

"You are the youngest or technically second youngest member of our team. But really keep an eye out for Nickel she is not hostile but that for now, she means that she is not dangerous."

"I... ok I won't let my guard down!" Ruby said pumping her fist into her palm.

"Good! Now take a nape we will be in Beacon soon enough and I think that you will need all of your sleep." Mika said as Ruby sighed leaning back in her seat the two-hour flight would allow for a decent rest as Ruby closed one of her eyes. The mechanical one staying open not trust Nickel for any amount.

Smart. I wonder how long Ruby is going to keep your secret mister sentient?

Mika thought as Ruby whispered a good night.

"Good night Ruby," Mika said as she smirked.

"So tell me mister robot, how long are you going to keep Ruby in the dark?" Mika asked the eye narrowed but ignored her. Mika knew its weakness it needed Ruby to live and as long as it kept her alive it could exist.

Kage liked Ruby as a younger sibling and that meant that she could not die until he said so, same with Jaune as a brother he never had.

"Now will you attack us or will we have to toss the first punch?" Mika asked Nickle still trying to explain to Kage that she was built to save lives not take. A fact Kage and Jaune did not take easily as Mika sighed.

"One of these days this family is going to be strained I just hope that I am not the cause."

Mika said closing her eyes getting her own amount of sleep as the craft roared on...

* * *

"Well, that was fun..."Jaune said as he tried to find a way out of the semi-awkward situation that was unfolding.

Nickel was now an official unofficial part of team Arkham. She was a well-needed part of the team as well every team needed a weapon that could single-handedly take down an entire horde of Grimm without breaking so much of a sweat!

The mission was so successful that Jaune was actually considering that he and Ruby would be able to almost sail back into Beacon without so much as breaking a sweat!

But to get back to Beacon Jaune just had to do some minor housework mainly he had to find out just where the hell Nickel was sleeping.

"You can have the empty bed," Jaune said once again grateful for small miracles. Him and Ruby sharing a bed most of the time meant that Nickel had a free bed and that there should be no problem with sleeping arrangements.

"I think you for your gratitude friend Jaune! But I do not need a bed! I can function just fine without one!" Nickel said saluting her ood pink-red eyes flicking as she gave Jaune a hard salute.

"I mean I don't want to sound like an ass but none of us are using it someone might as well sleep in it why not you?" Kage asked finally taking his newly made armor off.

Shredding the bright crimson plate as he got into his own bed.

"THe bed is actually just sitting there why not use it?"

"Yeah, he has a point! Take the bed!"

She does not sleep. Her eyes said Ruby ignored it Nickle paused scratching her chin before nodding.

 _"OK!_ If the team wishes me to take the bed I will!" Nickel said walking over to her bed plotting her back down and sitting on the bed.

"Are you going to get under the cover?"

"I am fine friend Ruby! I am very comfortable!"

"Do you want a change of clothes? I have a hoodie you can wear." Jaune offered not seeing the gasp of jealousy that left Ruby's mouth as she saw an intrusion on her territory.

"No thank you! I am fine as I am!"

"Ok... well good night!"

"Good night friend Jaune! And everyone I am glad to be part of the team!

Sleeping patterns nominal, breathing rates have slowed to the point of unconsciousness. Movements are minimal they are asleep. Nickel concluded running a final scar on her new team.

Team! She had a team! She never thought that she would have a team let alone friends! She was ecstatic!

"I can not believe that they have accepted me so easily! Everyone on the outside of the lab is so friendly! Not only do I have a team I have a job!? I am working with the internal affairs to root out bad apples in my school oh happy day!" Nickel hissed kicking her legs smiling widely as she eyed her team.

She saw them in an odd pink glow. Her eyes locking onto her team her eyes scanning her new friends.

* * *

 _Name. Jaune Arc. Leader of team Arkham. First-year punishment student of Bastion. Officially Killed in action. Executed in Vacuo. Age eighteen, height six feet one inch. Weight two hundred seven pounds._

 _Weapons. Power scabbard, power fist, plasma pistol semblance aura manipulation._

 _Jaune was the former leader of JNPR after his death or supposed he is a capable tactician but is or was overshadowed but a feeling of inferiority. As of now, that seems to have dissolved and he has come to his own. He is a decent leader and I hope to continue my friendship with him!_

 _Venke Kage. Age nineteen. Height six one. Member of team Arkham. First-year punishment student of Bastion. Officially ex Vacuo military. Age nineteen, height six feet one inch. With two hundred twenty pounds. Weapons twin bolt pistols. Ex Vacuo military and career soldier. His background is redacted I will hack into the Bastion servers to learn more._

 _Mika Smith. Error! File not found! Mika is not a human, not normally. Her body is that of a human but she is a member of my team. Height five feet seven inches, weapons a custom flamethrower that also emits shards of irradiated metal and a battle Axe. Why a non-human is allowed in Bastion is beyond me. Note I saw non-human not indicating that she is a faunus. Half of her biology is not native to Remnant potentially extraterrestrial? Interesting will look into this late._

Nickel thought as she turned to the final member of her team the one that found her when she got out of her own holding. She was glad that Ruby was so kind and that she lead her to the best team in all of Remnant!

Name. Ruby Rose age seventeen-

 _ERROR! FILE NOT FOUND!_ Nickel paused her scan stopped Ruby... Ruby had no files?

"What?" Nickel paused Bastion had meticulous files on all students that were not initiation. She knew that Bastion handpicked all students, Jaune had been handpicked for Bastion enrollment years before Beacon and the young man's recruitment was a stunning success.

Jaune was going to be in Bastion no matter what much the same for Venke. He was picked out for Bastion over three years ago and was recruited as such. Mika came to Bastion of her own free will and was a special case but Ruby?

 _Searching... searching files not found?_ Nickel paused this should be impossible. There was nothing? No files for Ruby to plans to bring her into Bastion. Not like the files were redacted they had either been deleted or never existed in the first place.

This does not make sense. She is an important student how can she not be on the records? Nickel thought as she scanned harder her hard drive forcing herself to look deeper into the Bastion servers.

Name. Ruby Rose, age seventeen. Silver eyes. Weapon a gun scythe hybrid. She is a part of my team and-

"No information?" She hissed there was nothing! No part of Bastion had any information on Ruby! Not in the record books the files when she looked up team Arkham besides a brief description of Ruby as a member she did not seem to exist.

This... this does not make sense.

She has to exist. She has to exist she is on my team. She is my friend how can she not exist? Nickel thought this was not right.

She had silver eyes! That was impossibly valuable Ludo would have impossibly detailed records on her every action! But Ruby did not exist... searching more into her Beacon records once again she was missing listed as killed in action.

Executed with Jaune in Vacuo. Her partner had taken leadership of the team under duress. Refusing to do so at first, further searching finally lead Nickel to the shocking conclusion that her friend was not supposed to be on this team.

They did not want her here... Ruby is not someone supposed to be in this school! She has no business in Bastion! Nickel thought as she shook her head, this was impossible! Bastion would either kick out or execute Ruby if they did not want her.

The files dubbed Shattering knight. The effort to get Jaune into Bastion simply said one and done. Jaune was to be taken from Vacuo brought into Bastion and that was that. Ruby was not part of the deal Her very existence, should not be permitted!

Jaune was supposed to be in Bastion, Ruby was slated to be removed... she was either going to be dead or removed from extraction, had someone got sloppy? Did Ludo not want to get rid of her due to her eyes? If he did want to keep her why no records? Was he hiding from something? There were records about deals with Salem! The ultimate or former ultimate if the reports she read were correct threat to the world was hopefully dead and gone but still...

"He kept records of the single creature that if it was even breathed that Ludo so much as looked at his school would be buried why is there not a mention of you?" Nickel thought before tapping her scroll sending a file to Merrick for _analysis..._

* * *

"So this is curious."

"Isn't it! There is nothing! Nothing at all! I have looked and looked but I have found nothing!" Nickel said as Merrick paused he knew that Ruby had... special circumstances such that she was unique a bit more so than any Bastion student she was also one of the few students that he only kept a paper file on.

He was grateful for that as of now his test that did show that Nickel was more than capable and more so willing to look into and download data from the Bastion databases. A bait that the construct had taken hook line and sinker.

"It is indeed," Merrick said looking the file over, while he knew a bit more than he let on there was still the unique matter of a girl that had no business being in a school full of trained killers and sociopaths that was a bit curious about.

"So you think that there is something off with Ruby?" Merrick asked already thinking of a lie to get him out of here. Or not a lie Merrick did not lie he never told the truth but lying was a bit beneath him.

Only those who are incredibly boring lye and only those with absolutely no imagination tell the truth.

"I do! I think that she is in Bastion because of a mistake!"

"Mistake? She killed the fifth prince of Vacuo how is that a mistake?" Merrick asked shuffling a small stack of paper the dim hum of a desk lamp that shone a bight painfully bright light on his brown desk in a small office in the depths of Bastion's center.

"That is also the thing! I have checked, double checked and even triple checked! Every last record that I can find there is no fifth prince! The Vacuo royal family ends at four crown princes! And when I checked the name of the prince that she killed I can not find him!"

"Really? You don't say?" Merrick said doing his best to feign ignorance on a topic that he knew scant little about but was determined to be seen as in the dark. Nickle need not know what he knew not that she could do much if she did but just in case the living weapon needed to think he was on her side.

"I do say as I have said before we should take this matter to the headmaster himself"!

"You could do that. You could do that but listen what will change? Ludo knows that Ruby is here. If there is as much inconsistency in here as you say Ludo is very aware of it So I doubt that he will do anything. Ludo want's Ruby here so she is here to stay."

"I.. that makes sense but what about her tenure? She should not be here."

"And as true as that is that does not mean we have to kick her out does it? She is doing a good job here in Bastion Nickel. Don't be upset about it think about it like this. She is doing good work here as a huntress."

"But she should not be here."

"No one should be in Bastion now."

"No one? There are hundreds of people that should be here! Every criminal and convict or mentally unstable hunter or huntress should be here so they can be watched and examined! We need to find out a way to either get her out or find out more-

"Ok. I understand trust me. I will send my best person to solve this ok?"

"Really? Your best?"

"Of course I always send in the best for my friends..."

* * *

"SO! Ruby tell me how are you?" Hino asked her small friend Ruby giggled sliding next to her friend in a temporary church pew. The church that she had helped destroy was still being rit the church of the light was in the slow painful process of being rebuilt.

The new church was still in construction and the church had put in a series of massive wooden pews for the flock to well flock to in a large former meeting room in the lower levels of the mountain.

"I'm great! You?"

"Fine, fine but Ruby. You do know that one of the tenants of the light is that you do not lie correctly?"

"Of course I do! And will never lie!" Ruby said nodding her mechanical eye zoomed out narrowing in on Hino in an inquisitive but friendly way, it had not blasted her with a bolt of red so that was good. More or less.

"Ruby tell me why are you in Bastion? Do not feel bad because you are here. We all have sinned in fact!" Hino said a lightbulb going off in her head as she pumped her palm with a fist.

"You can treat this as a confession to one of your friends and fellow parishioner! Tell me why are you in Bastion?"

"I... I killed the fifty crown prince of Vacuo..." Ruby whispered her hands balled up and small body shaking. Hino narrowed her eyes as she frowned.

"Ruby, you do know that lying is a sin right?"

"Of course I do why?"

"Because I am not sure you are recalling your memories correctly."

"What? Hino, I know what I did. I killed the fifth crown prince of Vacuo. I executed him to put him out of his mercy. I said it was a mercy killing but that was not good enough to the judge... now I'm here! Why do you ask?"

"Ruby I am from Vacuo there are no five princes only four."

"What? I know who I killed. I met the prince in person! I thought that we were even friends."

"I.. you really believe that don't you?"

"Of course I do! I know what I did I caused a civilians death and I can't get over it."

"Well, you should Ruby."

"What? What?"

"Because you do not belong here..."

* * *

 **AN" And there you go! Ruby is _not_ supposed to be in Bastion! Only Jaune is supposed to be there! The hell does this mean? Will Jaune and Ruby find a way back home? Will Nickle accidentally _pop_ one of her friends? Will anyone make it back to Beacon? Will NPR and WBY be able to take Jaune and Ruby's return and the _difference_ in their characters? Find out later on Basion! Brave sir next so thanks for you reading and as always _omake._**

* * *

 _ **Omake hero of Remnant** _part 2 part 8 **_Reunited and it feels so bad._**

"So! Would anyone like some Amasec? Or something?"

"Tea madam's it might help take the edge off," Ren said as he offered two steaming mugs of Tanna to the very, inhumanly in more ways that one pair of females who were busy giving each other a death glare that would strip the pain of a las rifle and potential flay and superheat the bone underneath.

"Thank you Ren your service to the Imperium in noted and appreciated," Pyrrha said the inquisitor bobbing her head taking a long sip from her team as Ren nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am, it is my job.'

"Humble also? Jaune you have done a fine job in picking out a subordinate for your travels. Well mannered skilled in combat? Both of you do your empire a credit." Sienna said oddly diplomatic the faunus took her sip of tea on the opposite side of Pyrrha. Both women not addressing the other as they sat, all around them were guards Pyrrha had her inquisition detail and Sienna her bodyguards on both sides flanking their charge as Jaune let out a long sigh he was the one to mediate this conflict and mainly because Oum had a sick sense of humor he was probably going to die for it in one way or another.

"Ok now that we are all settled in let's get on with this. Sienna?"

"Yes, dear do you have something to say to me? Sweetie?" Sienna asked almost purring Jaune felt Pyrrha narrow her eyes to daggers as Sienna took a paw and stroked Jaune's arm with it.

"You are an impressive specimen of your species it would be nice if you would come back to Menagerie to intermingle with us."

"As tempting as that is I have a duty to do. Now, why are you here Sienna? You said you are a diplomat?"

"yes as of right now I an representing Menagerie in the area."

"Ask the diplomat if that means Menagerie is ready to accept Imperial rule."

"Jaune tell your... friend? That while we do not wish for open conflict we bow to no one and seek to expand peacefully."

"My ass." Emerald moaned as Blake hit her gut before wincing almost falling down in pain her eyes locked onto Ren like he was the devil himself as I sighed.

"Ok... Pyrrha the representative said that-

"I heard what she said you tell her it is Monty's right to rule all in his supervision. He ruled us and left us with that holy mission to retake the world in his image."

"You place your faith in a book done some thousands of years ago?"

"A mind without faith is Chaos's plaything."

"You are as rigid as your sword."

"And you about as housebroken as a kitty."

"HEY! Watching your mouth!"

"Make me!"

"Ok enough! Both of you calm down take a deep breath and please don't kill each other think of the paperwork that I would _have t_ o do.


	50. Pillar two Soliloquy Storm coming

**AN: OK! We are Back! It took me a second to get here working on other fics, running a discord, Anime conventions and writing commission work to pay bills is a lot! But Bastion is back! We are _close_ to the end of the second pillar! Only a few more chapters left to the final _run_ in Bastion and then... _Beacon..._ Untill then? Enjoy.**

* * *

"I... I don't' _belong_ here?" Ruby asked her voice shaking Hino looked at her smaller friend her eyes searching her own for even a hint! Of Treason. Finding none, she paused as for the first time it looked like Ruby was telling the truth.

"I.. no... you do not belong here... you are innocent in _this_ crime," Hino said not saying that Ruby was innocent because she like every devout follower of the light had known since they first trusted their fate to it. That no one no matter who they were was wholly innocent, there was no such thing as innocence just _varying_ degrees of guilt.

"I... I am innocent?" Ruby squeaked out as Hino nodded once.

"Well I would not go that much but you did not do the crime you are accused of that is for sure. The fifth prince is not a thing." Hino said she was not sure what to think. Ruby, her friend, should not be in Bastion. The idea that Ludo would let an innocent in here was mind-boggling it raised many questions mainly why and how as Ruby gulped.

"B-but! But! If I am not supposed to be here, then why am I here!?" Ruby asked as Hino paused she did not know what to say to her friend, she wanted to comfort her and to tell her that this was going to get all better, but she had no idea what to say.

Hino paused she took the time to think acting rashly was never the plan; she took her arms and hugged Ruby. Calming her down and most importantly making sure she had time to think of just what the hell to say to Ruby to make her feel better and fast!

"You might not belong here, but I am glad you are. You are a friend to me."

"But back home! My family! Friends! They think I am dead!"

"And you are not, _that_ is what is important Ruby. Just ignore this; you will be home soon enough as is, however, this happened; it cannot be undone focus on the task at hand and triumph." Hino said, rubbing her friends head Ruby's panicked sobs reached new heights as she rubbed her head softly.

"There you go just let it out ok?" Hino asked as Ruby took full advantage of that and let her body shake as she cried out into her chest as the poor reaper of the school finally began to weep.

* * *

"So I think that it will bite us in the ass sooner rather than later."

"Kage what if it never bites us or anyone in the ass? Did you think about that?" Zach asked sighing as his friend refused to see things from an almost positive point of view.

"Did I think about it? Yes. Do I think that it will ever happen? No. Nothing is without flaws and what we did? I know that not only did he not see the end of that, I barely think we even know what the beginning of it all was." Kage said as Zach raised a brow at him.

"What are you two talking about?"

"Blowing up the most powerful being on the planet Zach that is what," Jaune stated as the black haired thief paused.

"I really, _really_ hope that you two do realize that everything you do seems to backfire in terrible ways an I want no part in this bull shit ok?"

"You don't have to ask we don't take volunteers that easy."

"Yeah, no shit you rope other people into your own shit even if they don't want to. Speaking of others where is Red? Thought was with you?"

"She and Hino are relaxing studying in the rebuilt church area."

"I see well that is not a recipe for disaster see you two later try not to die ok?"

"We will," Jaune said dryly as he let out a small sigh. He was tired already even if he was not in any immediate danger of death; he still did not want to test a limit in a school like this.

"So what are we doing now? Do you have an idea for what the goal is?"

"I am going to train in the hall. I want to practice shooting."

"Well that is boring I guess I'll shoot at something in the other range," Zach said shrugging his shoulders as jaune nodded to him, checking his blade to see if it was still charged.

The power weapon was maxed out on power and would not need his aura to recharge it for the moment. The weapon was still hitched to his hip as Jaune checked his scroll.

"Ruby said she was meeting with Hino in the church."

"Oh yeah, she and he went to go talk about whatever the hell that church wants them to believe, at least you got rid of that damned sociopath on your team," Zach said as he almost spat.

Jaune nodded as much as Nickle did add in firepower to Arkham he would rather not have a teammate that could turn him and his whole team into component parts when she happened to go for a hug. Something she seemed more than likely to do.

"Boss, we should think about our next mission."

"Think? Kage, you have an idea?"

"I do, actually. I think that we should ask Ludo for favors."

"That is literally the worst idea that I have ever heard. Have you decided to commit suicide yet?" Zach asked, cocking an eye to his friend as Jaune raised an eyebrow to him.

"What does that mean Kage? I do not like talking or interacting with Ludo more than is necessary."

"And that is something that you should keep up as long as you want to stay alive."

"What I am saying is that we are going to be going on more missions. We should think of something that we want. Something that will give us an edge in a fight. Something that will help us in the field."

"Like?"

"I don't know." The boy said shrugging his shoulder the taller brown-skinned male shrugged his shoulders his armor now tighter less bulky clinking softly as they walked down the hall.

"I was asking you for that idea. I have most of what I need."

Jaune heard his friend but took a second to think about the option. To ask for a favor would mean to take on debt. To take on a debt would mean he might own the man a favor and he did not want to ow Ludo a single thing.

"If we ask for something, it must be direct. Something that we will use every day for the time we have left in this school. Not something that is a one time use, it should not be physical; it should be a moral favor maybe?" Jaune offered as Zach nodded.

"I see that line of thought. Yeah! In fact, make him ask you for a favor that is not easily defined something that is nebulous! That you can't just nail down and have be demanded from you."

"While that is a good idea if we make it like that then whatever we get will most likely be equally as transparent," Kage stated as Jaune nodded.

Engaging with Ludo was often a bad idea. Unless he knew exactly what he wanted, then he should not engage.

No use poking sleeping bears. Jaune thought. The boy had enough close calls already his luck had been pushed strained and overall forced to the absolute limit, and he was not going to push that any more than absolutely necessary.

* * *

"Well, that was _informative."_

"Please! That's all we know!" A frightened shaking voice said as Merrick nodded.

"Oh I know it's all you know but! You are in clear violation of several Bastion rules here." Merrick said as he sighed once again, people thought that they could break the law. Hacking into the Bastion mainframes and making classified information known-

"Wait! We can talk, right?" The faunus asked as Merrick sighed.

"We? No." He killed the man with a knife Merric sighed his neck was split down the center as he slit his throat.

"Merrick?"

"Yes, Nickel?"

"Why did you kill that man?"

"He broke the law, and it was in my jurisdiction to end him."

"But our friends break the law numerous times, why do we not end them?" The strange automaton asked, Merrick did not know just how loral Nickel was to him and he was in no hurry to find out, the blood-eyed thing was not his friend, but she was useful.

"Simple, they cause more benefits than they do harm." Merrick rationalized his actions of killing murdering a group of students that were more or less under his direct orders to hack the mainframe. It was a standard tactic.

Find some technically apt students order them through indirect channels to break into the Bastion mainframe once they did fix the breach and clean up the mess.

 _If_ they were talented and loyal, they had a long and promising future in the Bastion Internal Affairs cyber division if not? Like this unfortunate groups was. Then they had just committed an egregious violation of the Bastion rules, and it was his job to enforce the law unto them with extreme prejudice.

"But what will we do with them now that they are dead? Will, we bury them?"

"We do not want burry bodies here Nickel. Most of them have families, and we will send the bodies back to them for proper dealings." Merrick said calmly already planning how to ship the lost students-

"Oh? Will they bury them?" Cobalt asked, touching one body there was a _pop!_ Of meat being split apart as it exploded like a wet grape.

Merrick raised one brown as a bit of flesh almost landed on his shirt the boy barely dodging the wave of viscera as a bit of blood hit this freshly cleaned knife.

"Well, we will not be sending back _that_ one but overall, yes. We will send them back."

"For respect, right?"

"Not at all. They can pay for the burial themselves; we do not need the extra burden. The school has enough financial stress as is. Can you imagine the amount of debt we would accumulate if we paid for _every_ funeral for dead student? We would be bankrupt in the year if we were lucky and tightened our budget, more so than it already is we are running thin enough."

Merrick said with a heavy sigh it was a fact Bastion needed some money the deal with the SDC was a gift from Oum himself, but there was so much to do!

"We need to pay for food, salaries for all of our employees, weapons, armor, training, the lights! They are not just one, you know? We have to pay for so much and when we lose an investment? When our material is destroyed, or we have a team go rogue? Well, let's just say that no one works for free and making money is hard enough when we do not even exist in a legal book. The kingdoms can't just have disappearing money forever you know?"

"I understand!"

"You do?"

 _"No."_

"Than why did you say yes?" Merrick asked already sighing Nickel was eccentric to put things very, but she was useful! And he did like it when things were valuable.

 _Better than when they are the opposite._ He reasoned as Nickel paused, looking over a terminal in the small hacking room set up in the lower level of Bastion. She glared down at it before her blood red eyes that had a tint of pink him them locked onto him.

"What were they looking up down here?"

"Just an anomaly that I had found recently. Someone who is currently in my... employ has a glaring flaw in their record, and I am here to set that record straight."

"You mean, our friend Ruby?"

"That is correct!"

Sharp you aren't you? Merrick thought as the thing nodded. It did look very human from the pale skin that looked almost like snow to the shapely hips, decent chest and a smile that disarmed most hardened students with a glare, it was a compelling design.

 _No wonder they want you back so bad, if only you were not so dangerous and independent._

"You are looking into her records correct? Ruby is not supposed to be here."

"No point in hiding that, no she is not supposed to be here. I do not know how she was allowed in, but she was and is a student of Bastion."

"Then she should be sent home!"

"That is not that easy Nickel."

"And why not?"

"Because of one, if she goes home, then what?"

"Then she is where she belongs."

"Maybe but! If she goes, then people will ask questions, what happened to her? Where was she? Where is Jaune? She was and is supposed to be dead right now. The fact that she is alive will do nothing but makes things unnecessarily complicated you understand?" Merrick asked as the thing nodded once.

"I see if we allow her to be returned alive, then we will be subject to be looked into by other powers."

"Yes, and we do not want that. We are meant to be independent, and we do not want that now do we?"

"No... no, we do not." Nickel nodded as she let out a deep sigh.

 _You sigh? Interesting._ Merrick thought as the thing walked over to him a small smile on her lips.

"So, what now?"

"That is a good point. Now we need to clean up this mess and by we I mean people paid less than us and take what we want and leave before anyone stumbles upon us."

"People are getting paid?"

"Well, some of us are."

"Can I get paid?"

"Do you _want_ to get paid?"

"It seems only fair if this is a job that I am given a salary for the work that I do."

"What do you even intend to do with your salary if you even get it? Do you want to buy something? And if you do what would you even want?"

'I do not know, but if I had a way of purchasing good or services, I believe that I can better explore and find out what I want."

"That is a good point; do you have any idea? there is a chance that I can procure it for you."

 _And not have you go on a spending trip the next time I let you leave the damned school. The last thing I would need is you to go into a shopping area and leave a trail of liquified civilians._

"That is quite good! Then if we are going to do that is there anything else you need my service for?"

"Yes, I need you to stick my side."

Where I can keep an eye on you.

"You are still under supervision; you need to look at me working for a little bit longer before I let you go alone."

"That is understandable I am still new at this job, and I am thankful for the help."

 _If you want to think I am doing that, then more power to you._

"You are welcome now please help me get rid of this mess and do not! Touch anyone I already need to call for a mop."

* * *

"So you say that _they_ can help us?" Jaune asked as Zach nodded.

"Oh yeah, they can help us."

"If you wanted a favor done in Bastion then you need to come here if you do not want to be in debt for Ludo," Kage said as they approached a large metal door with a slat in it at eye height.

"This is?"

"This is the Bastion store," Zach said as Jaune nodded that made sense most schools had stored.

 _Thud! Thud!_ Kage knocked twice as-

 _"Who is it!?"_ A voice shouted from the inside as Venke cracked his knuckles.

"Kage." The slot slid open and crack! A fun shot rang out Kage was blowback a gunshot echoed as Jaune saw his friend slammed down moaned.

"Ow." Kage's aura absorbed the damage making him groan in pain as Jaune hissed. "Kage!? Are you ok!?" Jaune asked as he nodded growing and rising.

"Are you ok!?" Jaune hissed as the boy nodded.

"Fine, I'm fine-

 _"Venke Kage._ Glad you came back." A gruff voice said being the door as the thing clicked! Something metal slid up as the door was swung open inward. A large faunus opened it.

"Welcome to the store." The massive student said, leaning back as Kage groaned Jaune held out his hand as he nodded.

"Thanks, boss, that never gets old."

"He shot you!?"

"Yeah, that's how they check to make sure you are who you say you are."

"They shoot you!?"

"No just him. If it's really Kage he won't die to a shot to the head, and if it's not? Then they should not be saying that they are him."

"That's one way to put it." Jaune growled as Zach walked downward come on boy's it's time for us to get some leg work and do some shopping." Zach said as the three boys walked into the door and entered a world entirely _different._

* * *

"Where the hell did we go?" Jaune asked, walking into a busy street? It looked like a street was recently hollowed out into the mountain of Bastion. The three of them walked into what looked like a literal marketplace not uncommon in parts of Vale or Ansel was placed in front of the three.

The area was crowded students moved back in forth almost reveal last one of them moved with some type of purpose none looked up almost all had thick hoods over their heads hiding their faces from view. As the crowd moved Jaune felt the _heat_ this place was hot warm like it was in a dessert as Kage nodded.

"What the hell? Is this a market?"

 _"Black_. The specific type of market that you almost never want to be in." Kage said as he gent to walk the floor of the market was roughly covered in broken rubble, dirt and other items.

Jaune followed his friends shocked that such a place could exist, how?

"The hell? Is this place an actually black market?"

"Last time I checked and I check often. If you want anything, you can find it here. Guns, food, liquor other services if you catch my drift." Zach said as he pointed to a variety of stalls that dotted the area. The whole place was filled with a thick heavy sent of fried grease, meat, and the smell of people being made to live in close proximity to each other for _extended_ periods of times.

As jaune stared at the sight Kage pointed forward as he took the lead.

"Follow me, boss. We got to check out some things. If we need favors, we should get them here. It's much easier to deal with our fellow students rather than Ludo."

"At least they can be killed with some level of ease you know?" Zach asked as the three made their way deep into the market.

* * *

"I'll take three," Zach said as a woman in a cloaked hood nodded she was standing over a grill of some type of fish? Whatever the fish was, it smelled great as she nodded.

 _"Credits?"_

" You know this," Zach said taking out a call briefcase and offering a wad of-

"Lien!? When did you get Lien?" Jaune asked as the boy gave him an odd sigh.

"Eh? You get it like you get money from any other place."

"But we are in Bastion how the hell do you get money?" Jaune asked, taking a fish on a stick, biting down and groaning.

"Shit! This is good!"

"Thanks! It comes straight from Atlas!" The woman too covered in a hood to see any features best a potential pair of faunus ears.

"You see you can get paid in Bastion, just not in a legal sense," Zach said as he took a bite out of his fish.

"Good shit, Ket. The cod always taste fresh."

 _"Stolen_ the other day!"

"Good to hear!" Zach said, taking the third fish in his free hand.

"But how? Who gives you money!?"

"Well, there are a few ways to get paid. One you can find someone with money and either trader, convince or take it from them. That is surprisingly rare actually. You can do favors for others or..."

"Or?"

"Or you take it when you are out on a trip outside of our walls."

"So you take it when we leave? How?"

"I'm a thief. I steal things, that's how you make money, and you can use it in the store." Zach said as Kage walked back, the three of them were in an almost less crowded part of the marker that was busy with the packed crowds of people that were busily moving back and forth.

The boy had a small case of something in his hands and an odd smile on his face.

"Here you depressed shit, wipe that smile off your face it looks unnatural," Zach said as he handed him his fish.

"Here eat something it'll make you almost look attractive."

"Thanks and _fuck you."_

"Back to you."

"Not in this life."

"You wish you fuck. I know _bricks_ that have more personality than your blunt ass." Sach said as Kage took a bit of the fish and nodded.

"Fresh?"

"Ket only buys them after they have been stolen."

"Nice."

"The box?"

"Oh? This boss? That's something for me. I'm going to be making some ammo today after that I plan on going to our Felicia and ask for some loading servos."

"Well, that sound like a good idea," Jaune said nodding as Zach sighed.

"Ok, you fucks now let's get the hell out of here before someone sees us and decides that we can be jumped on the way back."

"I have a warning if that happens."

"You do, but I don't know let's go, I'm getting tired of this place."

* * *

 _Well, on the one hand, this did not explode; on the other hand, it is not what I thought it would be._ Kage thought as he finished his last bit of weaponry he was tired of only having two types of ammunition the results of previous battles with Grimm or Fang had down him the error in not having at least a decent amount of ammunition besides anti-personal and armor.

He needed more. Back to work. Kage thought as he began to work on the forge once again located in the center of the Arkham room. As he worked, Ruby smiled a bit she doing her best to keep her emotions in check, but it was exhausting!

 _Innocent! I knew I was innocent! But-_

 _WHo the hell did you shoot?_ Hino had asked that question that Ruby had no answer to. She knew she killed someone that was a fact, but who? The boy she fired on was not the fifth prince he never even existed in the first place!

 _Then who is he!? Who could he even be? They brought us there to meet him! Was that a lie? Who was that boy!? What did I do?_

Ruby kicked her legs out the sound of metal being torn filled her ears Kage was the only person in the room right now she was alone with her friend Mika was out doing something...

 _Probably bad._ Ruby thought, and Jaune was off to train, leaving her alone with Kage something that was not a bad thing not at all! Kage was her friend but...

 _He's busy working now; I can't interrupt him... even if I want to talk to someone!_ Ruby bit her lip she tried to make sure that she was not being a bother to Kage but she also really needed to talk!

She was losing it; her mind was tearing itself apart with possibilities of what could have actually happened!

 _Did I kill him? Did I not kill him? Who was he? What was he doing in the palace!? Who was he? What was he doing in the royal palace!? Why were we placed to guard him?_ Ruby bit her lips her mind feel like it was being split apart! She had it she got up taking a deep breath and preparing to interrupt her friend before she lost her own mind!

"Ummm Venke?" Ruby asked poking the taller boy on his shoulder.

"Ruby. Is something wrong?" The boy asked pausing, looking over his shoulder as she gulped!

"I! Watcha working on? It looks like you are doing something cool?" Ruby asked wincing as Kage smiled? The expression looked like it hurt.

 _"Ammunition,"_ Kage said as he saw the fire appeared in Ruby's eyes, her silver one shot wide open shining brightly as her other one zoomed in on him. The fake eye seemed to perk as it narrowed on to him.

 _"OH!_ You are making something with guns!? Can I help!?" Ruby asked her ey shining as Kage smiled again; the emotion looked painful like he was stretching muscles that had no business being exercised.

"Actually you can."

"YAY! What can I do!? What are we making!? Tell me! Tell me!"

"Well if you must know and I think you do, I'm making ammunition to take down the more specialized enemies we face in the field."

"Oh? Like what? Tell me! Tell me!" Ruby sounded like a kid in a candy store as Kage sighed.

"Well, the basic ammunition I use is a bolt shell. A basic high caliber weapon that has good armor penetration, an exploding tip, and a semi-guided rocket system."

"So it's a flying bomb?"

"More or less. But it's not the best against everything, It does good damage to most enemies but can often be overkill or underwhelming to more specific enemies. That is why I have these." He said, pointing to a few silver tipped rounds that looked sharp like daggers.

"Those?"

"Kraken rounds, the tip penetrates armor butter and then his a high impact explosion after it buries."

"So it would kill a Death Stalker?"

"Easily but! Then we have the most specialized rounds." Kage said moving over to a small plethora of multi-colored ammunition shells that made Ruby drool. It's like a rainbow. Ruby thought as her eye zoomed in.

 **That is a rather accurate comparison the are color coded.**

"Well, you have a few choices, Hellfire rounds, or incendiaries, Talon round that are more advanced shrapnel, think grenades on a hair trigger not good versus armor but it can purre enemies in an aura, typhoon rounds, those are rare, they poison enemies with toxin that can eat your flesh from the inside out."

"I love them."

"What?"

"I Love them. I want them! I need them!"

"I... ok? Do you want some?"

"I.. I can't use any, my weapon can't fire any of them," Ruby said a pout on her face as Kage paused.

"What kind of caliber is _Crescent?"_

"Fifty."

"Hmmm with some work I can probably help you out. We can make rounds for your weapon and then make watered down versions of mine they will be far less damaging but! They can add a lot to your ammunition count. Varied ammunition might make the difference between life and death in the field."

"Let's make this happen!" Ruby said jumping up the possibility were nearly endless! All the ammunition types?! All the way she could use them and with Kage helping her guiding!? She could _taste_ the possibilities that would come!

 **I predict a _very_ beneficial exchange. **

"How soon can we do this!?"

"Soon enough. Hell, you can even ask Felica for an upgrade for your weapon. If you want you can ask about adding an autoloader for it!"

"Autoloader?"

"Think your AI can switch out ammo for you in your gun can autoload itself, that way it can save you time in the field." Ruby wanted to kiss him.

"Kage that's amazing! You are amazing!"

"Hey I mean I _do_ try."

* * *

"Jaune, so good to see you and yours."

 _"Ludo_. Why are we here? I thought we did not have much more missions left?" Jaune asked already thinking of just how bad this was going to get.

He and all of Arkham had been gathered around the same fireplace that despite being a raging blaze seemed to give off no heat. Ludo sat behind his desk the surprisingly young-looking man whose real ages seemed to be a mystery of anywhere between twenty-two and late sixties smiled at Jaune with an off-kilter grin as his assistant glared at them.

Miss Heil was still silent stoically glaring at the teens as Jaune took a step forward not showing a hint of fear.

"Sir, you called us for a purpose, what is it?"

"Ah, right to the point? I like that, you have your spine Jaune, and you have a mind and the fangs to come with it. Now let's see if you can adapt." Ludo said taking out his scroll as a small hologram of what looked to be-

"The ocean?" Ruby asked blinking owlishly as Ludo nodded.

"Yes Miss Rose, that is what this is, tell me Jaune do you, or any of your team know how to _swim?"_ Ludo asked as jaune froze he had been in the water before but swimming?

"I think so?" Jaune said as he looked to his team.

"I can swim, not that I like it." kage grumbled as Ruby blushed.

"I can't swim well..."

"I can learn to wait a second," Mike said pausing closing her eyes grimacing once before opening the.

"Ok! I just learned how to swim!"

"That fast?"

"Yes, ma'am! I just had to check my memories of past-

"What are you, a robot?"

"Hey! Jaune Kage is being mean!"

"It's pointless, Ludo what are we going to be doing exactly?" Jaune asked as Ludo smirked.

"Simple the Fang has been abusing several cargo lanes in the North Atlas sea; we need you to find them and lead a team of some of our best initiation students on a mission. The Fang is also in possession of some strange new type of weapon that they are using to disable ships so be careful out there."

"You want us to hunt down _pirates?!"_

"That's coo!" Mika and Ruby and a burst of happiness as Jaune rolled his eyes.

"So you want us to find them and kill them?"

"Yes, and please do try to complete this objective without causing some kind of international incident this time will you? For _me?"_

* * *

 **AN: OK! That's it! The party is going pirate hunting! The next chapter is the beginning of the climax of the second Pillar! As we see what the high seas have to show and just _who_ the people interacting with Bastion are as old face return and we get to see just what Ludo has planned for the school! All this and more in the next Bastion! Brave Sir Robinson is next! Then Reverse then Dragon Slayer! Untill then? Omake...**

* * *

 **Omake** _ **Hero of Remnant**_ **part two story 2.** _ **Meeting of minds…**_

" _So!_ And I think that we all know that we stand much more of befitting if we do not kill each other! Ok?" Jaune asked moaning it was hard enough to get his men and women now up in the morning without fooling around or drinking fighting etc. but this? This was near impossible.

"Of I agree with your Commissar I want to benefit from our getting more than you can ever know." Sienna purred making Jaune's hairs stand on end. Faunus or not she was a beautiful woman her chest was large her brown skin exotic and well Jaune was many things a man hero a legend to some thankfully never him, but he was human and-

"Sienna! Jaune is a Commissar!"

Oh, and the inquisitor. Jaune thought as Pyrrha pouted yes an inquisitor pouted. Yes, an inquisitor the most dangerous and deadly person ever to walk the surface of Remnant pouted. Things were not looking good.

"Unhand him right now!" Pyrrha yelled if there was ever a reason to be scared on the Inquisition is was not that they were all powerful and all knowing but the fact that they were flawed morally grey individuals that could pout like a juvie when things were not going there way.

As in this area, case in point Pyrrha.

"There is nothing wrong with her being this close to me Inquisitor."

"Yes, I can be as close to Jaune as I would like." Sienna purred running her claws up and down Jaune's arm; he gulped she really was beautiful.

Her golden eyes along with thick black hair, that hung shortly off her head was a great contrast with her brown chocolate skin, and well Jaune did not hate the faunus so much that he could not see a beautiful woman for what it was.

"Jaune, you are staring!" Ruby hissed his aide the commander of the four hundred and eighteenth said elbowing him in the side.

Jaune flushed coughing as-

"I think she is pretty as well sir," Ren said his phlegmatic aid nodding once as Jaune groaned, Ren was loyal as ever, but this was not the time to agree with his eyes.

"Jaune you are looking at the faunus in a way that I know Oum would not approve, perhaps you have been corrupted?" Yang asked, gently lifting her combi-bolter. Jaune felt a shiver of fear run down his spine; Yang was his friend, and as much as she might be his ally she was a servant of the Emperor first and everything else a distant second.

"It would be a shame to put you down."

"There is nothing wrong with a human and a faunus intermingling; you know Yang?"

"That is what you say," Yang said, rolling her eyes as Jaune coughed once.

"Ok! I know there is some tension but we all have something that brings us together there are genestealers in this city, and we have to kill them down to the last one.


	51. Pillar two soliloquy Pirates

**AN: And we are back! More Bastion! Even more, fights! Sorry for the lack of updates! Been caught up in my own discord and doing writing coms but I assure you this and all my other stories are still alive and going to get updates and finished so! Without further adieu! Here is the next part of _Bastion_ as they go pirate hunting...**

* * *

"Excuse me? You want us to go into Atlas."

"And look for _pirates?"_

"Yes Mister Arc, Miss Rose. You will be looking for pirates to deal with." Ludo said with a smug look. The headmaster of the worst of the worst gave that same gohst like smile as Jaune paused.

"I know that we have done some crazy things but _pirates?_ Really? Is this some bad comic? I mean do we even still _have_ pirates in this day and age?"

"Never lost them, boss." Kage yawned as he cracked his neck.

"What he says is true piracy is a time old profession. Trust me on that."

"Well ok I don't want to sound like an ass but how are we going to fight them?"

"With your guns Mister Arc. Please do not make this more complicated than it is. I know that you might not be the smartest man but come one."

"Thanks, Miss Heil." Jaune hissed the crimson eyed woman rolled her eyes as Jaune sighed.

"So we just have to kill pirates?"

"That is the long short. Kill the pirates, and you can come home. Simple." Ludo said Jaune glared at him he _knew_ that there was nothing simple with Ludo. Jaune had to keep it together for just a little bit longer.

 _Less than a month to go Jaune. You can do this._ Jaune thought as he sighed, he really needed to calm down. This was nothing unusual for him. Bastion had been like this from the first time he was brought here.

"Do you know anything about the pirates? Something that can help us?"

"Yes. We do not just send you out with nothing." Miss Heil said her blood eyes glaring down as Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"Well, that is not a fact." Jaune hissed as her eyes narrowed, Jaune felt the temperature rise as she glared at him.

"As I was going to say. We have some information about the threat. We know that they are operating in the waters near Atlas. They tend to strike from the international line for water. They also seem to be in posession of some kind of strange and unique weapon."

"What kind of weapon?"

"That... we do not know."

"You _don't_ know?"

"No. NO we do not. The raids have been very effective, so we have no idea of what kind of weapon the use or how it is being utilized by them."

"So it could be anything?"

"Not necessarily Mister Arc. We know that they are raiding transport ships in the area. So that means that they are probably more likely than not using some kind of ship. And the weapon might very well be mounted onto the ship." Ludo put in Jaune nodded it made sense.

"What about the ships they attack? Do we know anything about them?"

"Not much sadly. They do not leave any survivors behind, so collecting and type of detailed information about this matter is highly difficult." Miss Heil said, rolling her eyes that still _hurt_ Jaune to look at.

"What about the ships? How are the actual ships? Any signs of damage? Or some greater loss of metal?" Jaune asked Miss Heil shook her head.

"From what we can see no. The ships are left unharmed. They are robbed clean, and the crews killed. We know nothing else besides that." Miss Heil added Jaune nodded frowning. This was not looking good. The pirates probably had some kind of weapon that might be able to target specific targets.

 _If it only affects the crew, then that is going to be bad. I don't know how to defend against that._ Jaune thought as he sighed.

"So there is something that is wreaking havoc on the water that we do not know what it is. And our only way to find out is to send us in and hope that we do not die in the process long enough to call back?"

"That is not what I would say... I would say that you are the best of our worst. You are the best of the beginners, and you are the ones that we want to send in to fix this little problem. "

"And when we find them? Kill the pirates, take their weapon, or destroy it?"

"If you can, we would _like_ it to take the weapon back into our custody. That way, we can not only prevent other pirates from using it. It also brings it into our custody so we can look at it and use it for applications."

"So you want to capture it to use?"

"Wait. What about Atlas? Don't we want to ask them for help?" Kage finally spoke, his brown eyes narrowing as Ludo paused.

"Ah about that... we are going to be doing this operation _without_ alerting Atlas to our involvement."

"Wait we are not going to tell Atlas that we are helping them? Why?"

"Miss Rose it is not that simple. We want to clean this up without alerting them. They have more than enough on their plate and don't need to worry about this. Let us handle it for them."

"You want the weapon. If we go with Atlas, then they will want to know our plans."

"That is a possible concern about the issue."

"And then if they want in there is a good chance that they might want the weapon for themselves." Jaune sighed as Ludo nodded.

"That is also a possible outcome that we are trying to avoid for now." Ludo looked down his grey eyes flashing as Ruby gulped.

"Then that means that Atlas... they are looking for them right? They don't like the pirates either?"

"I surely think they do not like their ships raided Miss Rose."

"But if they are looking for pirates and they do not know that we are coming?"

"Then they will try to kill us! Hah! Nice one Venke."

"Kage!" He hissed as Mika laughed ber bright emerald eyes flashed as Jaune sighed.

"Ok. We'll do this tell me when do you want us to leave?

" _Now."_

* * *

"Ok, everyone! Kiddo's get on the ship!" Uzepi said the purple-eyed teacher soldier welcomed them on the ship. The custom bullhead _Vesperia_ lowered its ramp Jaune, as usual, was the first to run up boots clanking as he ran. He was followed by Venke Ruby and Mika.

Jaune waited for her to get on last, making sure the least human part of his team was secured as the ship began to rise.

The whir of engine turbines filled the air as the ramp began to rise.

 _Jaune! We are beginning our assent!_ Kimiko said as the bullhead pilot called back from the front of the ship. Her voice calling over his scroll as Jaune nodded.

"Good! Take us up! I wanted us in the air last week!"

 _You got it!_ Kimiko shouted over the com as the ship door closed.

As it closed, Uzepi smirked the seven-foot purple-eyed more solid grinned. Her dull grey combat armor still stuffed with knives, grenades and spare ammo belts for her energy pistol.

"Look at you Arc! Talking like a soldier! Good on you looks like you know what you are doing!" She said as the ship rosed the Vesperia howled once its engine roaring as Jaune gripped a handhold, keeping his feet locked on the floor as he sighed.

"I know what I'm doing Uzepi."

"Well, it's a far cry from when I first saw you. But I'll take it!" She said as Jaune rolled his eyes. His team was talking among themselves. Ruby talking to Kage about something gun-related he guessed. Mika sharpening her blade her green hatchet shimmering as she chittered away probably not even listening to the main topic ahead as Jaune pulled Uzepi to the side.

"Tell me something." Jaune hissed, the older woman who was somewhere between her early twenties to early thirties smirked down at him. Her arms flexed her massive biceps bigger than his own head flexing as she grinned.

"Oh? Are you going to try to confess to me Jaune? Got to say that this is a ballsy move."

"Don't kid around. What do you know about the pirates?" Jaune asked the ship hit some turbulence as Uzepi frowned. She let her eyes roll as she tutted once. She pouted if that was possible her arms crossed as she looked down to Jaune with a disappointed glare.

"I don't know anything more than you."

"Are you lying to me?"

"Why would I lie to you? I'm going on a mission with you. It's in my best interest if you know as much as you can to keep yourself alive or at least keep me alive for a little while longer that is." Uzepi said bluntly Jaune held her glare his cobalt eyes glaring up at her purple ones. His hand rested easily on his sword's hilt. Jaune had not quite settled on a new name for his blade. After losing Crocea naming the blade seemed wrong almost. Kind of like cheating.

"I know that you know more than us. I know that Ludo might have a secret or otherwise secret agenda when he sends us on these missions. And I know that if he has one he most definitely told you about it so that it can be accomplished on the side as we fight."

"Heh. Look at you getting smart. Gotta say I'm impressed, kid. Smoke?" She dug into her side pocket, pulling out a cigarette as Jaune nodded.

"Vacuo slim?"

"Atlas shard. A bit cooler than a slim, I think we need a cool head." She said Jaune toot he cigarette taking a drag as she pulled out a lighter.

"Breathe in," Uzepi said as a _click!_ Filled the air she lit it, and Jaune took a long drag before sighing.

"Thanks. But honestly, do you know anything? Now is the time to tell me. I could care less about what Ludo wants as long as my team is safe." Jaune said, taking the lit cigarette and taking a deeper drag out of it.

Uzepi was right; it was very different than a slim. This one lacked the kick of the desert and was instead cool like ice. The smoke cooled his lungs, making his body calm down as a smooth layer of chilling smoke entered him. Jaune felt like he was breathing in the icy shards of a glacier as Uzepi nodded.

"Nope. Not a damn thing more than you. But if you want I can brainstorm it with you. Nothing wrong with two friends talking about battle plans, right?"

"We are friends now?" Jaune asked, taking a drag again, blowing it up past her face.

"Since _when?"_

"Since I decided that you were not a worthless piece of crap really," Uzepi said blowing another cloud of smoke right back down into Jaune's face. He blinked through it not making a single show of disgust as he kept her glare.

"So you think I'm finally worth something?"

"You were always worth _something._ Everyone is worth _something_ you just were not worth much. Now though? Now you are finally someone that I would not mind to have a smoke with." She said grinning wolfishly as Jaune kept his glare.

"Fine. So ideas? What do you think is happening?"

"Honestly? I don't know. From what it looks like some pirates got their hands on something that they have no business having. They probably stole something most likely by accident, and now they got some firepower they have no business having."

"Stole? Do you think they stole it? You don't think it's something that they just made or pieced it together?"

"Highly unlikely." She said, blowing a deep cloud of smoke her cigarette rapidly dying as Uzepi huffed.

"Look that part of Atlas has had pirate issues for decades now. It might even go back centuries for all that I know. But what I do know is that it was never this bad. The pirates tried to take over ships. They often failed and then they either get killed trying to take over a ship or take one over and kill everyone that they can."

"Alright, and you don't think that it's one of their weapons?"

"What? Hell no. They aren't that smart. These are raiders they can barely keep up a basic raiding strategy let alone make a complicated piece of weaponry. Nah they either stole it. Probably by accident or..."

"Or?"

"Or they were _gifted_ the weapon by some unknown benefactor."

"Wait, you really think that someone _gave_ them a weapon like this? Why the hell would they do that?"

"Lot's of reasons really."

"Such as?" Jaune asked, pressing for information as she sighed.

"Well for starters, it's a great way to test it. You make some kind of experimental weapon not knowing how the hell it works and needed some live test subjects? You give it to some pirates you give them a prototype weapon, and you wait to see what happens."

"And you think the pirates will help you?"

"Why not? It's not like they lose anything out of it. They get a shiny new toy to kill people with, and you get some decent test results."

"Who would give them a weapon?"

"Now _that_ is a good question. I hate to be the bearer of bad news kid, but it could be _literally_ anyone with the means to make and transport the weapon and a curiosity of how it works. There are dozens up one dozen of weapon manufactures not including the actual kingdoms. Those are individual manufactures, and that's not even counting private research firms, corrupt politicians, backroom military talk and more. The list goes _on_ and on."

"So it could be anyone with the means to transport and make could have given it to them."

" _If_ it was given to them. Like I said, I think it was stolen, but it could be a gift. I'm open to the possibility of someone using the pirates as a test group for this."

"Someone not from Atlas?"

"I _never_ said that," Uzepi said, finishing her cigarette as Jaune paused.

"What? You don't really think someone from Atlas did this do you? They are targeting people from Atlas."

"So? Who cares? You want to be a hunter, right? You are from Vale you mean to tell me you'd have a problem killing criminals that came from Vale?"

"What? I would kill them no matter where they came from."

"Exactly. Just like this, so what if they are from Atlas? They probably don't know them and don't give a shit about them. Nationality means nothing with this kind of things. You better keep that one in your head, ok?" She asked finished her lite Jaune finished his at the same time they both tossed their lit nubs down stomping down on them as Jaune glared.

"So it just a shot in the dark?"

 _"Yup."_

* * *

"Ok! Everyone off!" Jaune shouted as the Vexperia hovered over a stormy sea. Jaune felt a wave of icy seawater slam into him. There was a storm brewing as the Vesperia hovered over a small boat. Jaune covered his eyes a flash of lightning cracked the sky as ropes fell out of the ship leading down to the small boat as he screamed.

"Go! Go!" Jaune yelled as Venke Ruby and Mika ran out, sliding down the ropes down to the Bastion boat.

"We are going in on boat!?" Jaune shouted desperate for Uzepi to hear him, the woman had her long purple hari tied back plastered by the storm that raged. The dark, ugly storm clouds forming tossing down thick steady blankets of rain on them as she nodded.

"Yeah! They would see the ship coming a mile away! If we go on a boat, we can get closer to them easier!" She shouted Jaune groaned he _really_ wish she had told him about that earlier. Not that it mattered really. They were going to be on the boat one way or the other, so it really did not matter.

"Ok! Let's go!" Jaune said as the two slid out of the ship, Jaune felt a slap crash into his face. A gust of wind so powerful that it nearly slapped him right off his rope!

Jaune's fingers clung into the rope his hands burned as he slid down. Jaune let out a groan of pain fire flooding down his fingers as he slid down.

He spun down the wind howling so hard and fierce that Jaune could not hear anything but. He slid down the slippery dark role. The plastic cable providing some comfort as Jaune felt himself snap back and forth spinning down before-

 _Thud!_ Jaune groaned instincts kicking in as he bent his knees. He hit the top of the boat and rolled. Uzepi crashed down a second later as Jaune began to shout into his scroll.

"Kimiko! Get out of here! We will call you for evac!"

 _You got it! Be quick! You don't have much time on this trip! Less than a day before you are killed!_ She shouted as Jaune felt his hands rise up to his collar that was on his neck. The collar with a large emboldened **P** on it for punishment. Jaune sighed he really did not want his head to be blown off as he waved Kimiko off.

"Get out of here! We'll need our pick up!

 _You got it, Boss! I'll be back when you need me!_ She said as the ship roared the Vesperia roared once and fired off into the night.

"Jaune! What's our plan!?" Ruby asked her robotic eye zooming out the augmented eye narrowed and squinted as it took in the world.

 **Category 3 storm. Wind speed 39 miles per hour. We need to watch out step Ruby.**

 _Thanks, Eyey, I will._ Ruby thought as Jaune growled.

"Get down! Get into the boat!" Jaune yelled Venke and Mkia were already moving several dozens initiation students were there as well. Picking up the slack for them as they all scrambled to get under the deck and get somewhat dry.

"Alright, so what is the plan?" Venke asked Jaune was looking up at a map of the seas. Jaune had the initiation students plot a course, the ship they were one the _Stiff Sail_ was cutting through the seas. The choppy water making most of them almost lose their footing as the sonar checked for a ship.

"Simple. We find the pirates and attack them. I know that they have some kind of strange weapon, but we need to find out what it is and take them down. When we find them, we will attempt to board them. We will open up with a broadside attack and take the ship by force!

Questions!?"

"Sir! We got something on the radar." One of the Initiation students shouted over the front of the ship. The woman or teenager looked down to some kind of blinking green screen as Jaune nodded.

"Ok! This looks like it! I want everyone with me! Weapons up let's get this thing over with!"

Unfortunately for Jaune and his friends the decision to attack while correct needed to be done just right. Jaune knew that to simply get on the dick of the Stiff Sail would take minutes long precious minutes. The sea was a mess massive violent waves rocked and buffeted the ship. The winds were roaring and the way the rain came down in sold sheets and felt like massive golf balls hitting your face meant that just getting onboard was not something Jaune looked forward to.

The deck added to this the slippery plastic deck made a horrible trip hazard and for a raped run up to attack meant that the best decision was to stay up there long before. That way they could be in position and not worry about sprinting on a slippery storm-filled surface as-

"I see it!" Ruby shouted as they came upon the pirate ship. It _looked_ like a typical freighter. Nothing that special about it. Jaune narrowed his eyes, his coat flapped as he sighed.

"I know! Ok! You all know the drill! We come in hard and fast! WE shoot on my mark! After that, we put the ladders down and board! Questions!?"

"No!" Everyone shouted Arkham knew the plan Kage was looking only _mildly_ less annoyed. His crimson armor pained with wet streaks his brown eyes still showing _mild_ irritation.

Mika grinned. She had her flamer out the stick flames cared not for the water and would eat their way through any enemy.

"Ready when you say!" Uzepi said, drawing her pistol as the boat roared! Closing the gap to the enemy. The boat sailed up Jaune saw some pit marks showing a fight, there were several cargo containers on it and something like a giant metal radar dish and-

"Fire!" Jaune yelled as they pulled up next to the ship. Jaune drew his plasma pistol as-

 _VROOM!_ There was a vroom sound as the dish vibrated one second Jaune had his pistol in his hand the next? It was _yanked_ out of his hand. Jaune gasped as it was like his weapon was pulled out from his hand but some massive invisible force.

Jaune gasped-

"You!"

"Shit!"

"Crescent Rose!? _NO!"_

"Chastifold!? NO!" Arkham yelled as not just Jaune, but _every_ weapon was pulled out of the hands of the students. Jaune's eyes went wide the radar dish!

It sucked up their weapons and made them cling to it-

"It's a magnet! It can steal our weapons!" Jaune screamed no, knowing what to say it made sense! That was how they took the ships! They could steal weapons!

 _Fuck! If they can steal our weapons, then we can't fight them!_ Jaune thought as he began to scream.

"Get down!" Jaune yelled as the ship opened fire. Gunfire erupted from the enemy ship. Jaune hit the deck bullets sprayed down bullets flashed out. Bright yellow flashes came from the enemy ship as the opened up.

"Shit! Boss!"

"Jaune!?" Ruby shouted Jaune saw Mike grab her there were screams in the air as bullets ripped Initiation students open. Popping them like grapes their aura less boded did nothing to defend them as the were massacred. It was a cluster fuck Jaune was down to his melee weapons alone and-

"Move it!" Uzepi yelled, tossing him forward, avoiding the half of deadly fire the deck rapidly filling up with blood gore and viscera. Jaune saw the students that while he never knew, nay names gunned down he felt a knot in his guts.

 _They are dead, and I might have helped them._ He thought as Uzepi hurled him forward he the rest of his team and some Initiation students sprinted to the back.

The ship blowing large open holes in the Stiff water was leaking in, and it was clear it was sinking fast.

With nothing, for it, some smarter or just luckier Initiation students had lowered a smaller boat that was hanging on the back down to the brine.

"Down!" Jaune yelled as all of Arkham and some lucky initiation students jumped into the boat, hitting the dick just as something _important_ was hit in their old boat. Jaune felt the new dingy roar off as something wet off if the Stiff sail there was a crack of light as the whole boat suddenly went up in a bright fireball as it exploded into the night.

* * *

"Fuck!" Venke shouted Arkham, and the seven Initiation students were crowded into. Jaune growled this was bad. They were in the wide ocean none of them had their weapons, and they had no way to get them back!

"Well, that was a fucking travesty. Any other plans Jaune? Or are we just fucked?" Uzepi asked as Jaune sighed, there was no reason getting angry he needed to have a clear head if he was to get everyone out of there safely.

 _Or just my team and me. Maybe Uzepi if I can._ He thought as he sighed.

"Ok. That was bad."

"No, shit." Kage drawled the loss of his precious hand cannons Slight and Fell clearly weighing on him as he paced. The tall boy was an awkward fit in the small cabin. Jaune him and Uzepit had to crouch to be able to stand in the small cramped room.

Everyone was shaking shivering as they sighed. Jaune had taken count the dingy they were on the _Quill_ was not meant for the sea. The ship was only going to last for an hour or two and then? Then the fuel would run out, leaving them stranded sitting ducks in the middle of the storm and that was something Jaune was _desperate_ to avoid being.

"Uzepi what are the odds that Ludo would look kindly on us returning with a mission failure?"

"I don't know. Honestly? I don't think that he would be in the forgiving mood. This piracy problem is a big deal to him."

"Uzepi... I asked you if you knew anything else about this mission."

"And I told you the trust. What? You think that if I _knew_ there was some kind of weird magnetic weapon that wouls just yank metal off of me that I would let it happen?"

"It's not magnetic," Ruby spoke up her eyes fixed downward looking at a small waterlogged map in the cent of the table.

"Come again? I didn't hear that." Uzepi said as Ruby nodded.

"It's like I said. The weapon. It's not magnetic. Or not fully."

"Red. Look I know you had a long day, but it gripped our weapons out of our hands! I thas to be magnetic!" Uzepi shouted as Ruby shook her head.

"No. No, it's not. Not fully, at least."

"What does that mean Red? Speak English for us not as smart people ok?"

"Look. If it was a real magnet and took metal, then Venke would have been ripped out and over the sea. Anyone with any metal would have been yanked out and overboard, and my _eye_ would have been ripped out of my skull. Not whatever that thing is it was _targeting_ our weapons. Not only did it yank them, it _only_ took them. So it must have been intentional." Ruby said as a lightbulb went off in Jaune's head.

"Ruby! You are a genius!" Jaune shouted as she paused her head cocked as her mechanical eye whirred out of her skull.

"I am?"

"Yes! Yes, you are! You just found out how we are going to beat the dicks!"

"You _really_ need to rephrase that." kage said as Mika began to sniffle.

"PFF! He said beat these dicks! Hah! It's like he wants to jack them off until the quit!"

"I... just fucking listen to me ok? I got a plan that might not get us all killed."

"I got to say as far as last-ditch suicidal attacks go this ain't bad Boss. You outdid yourself." Kage said as Jaune sighed, he picked up his gun his new gun. As luck would have it, Bastion tended to thick of contingency plans far ahead.

The Quiver was full of boarding weapons shotguns to be precise. Large pump-action shotguns with full magazines and enough spare shells to get everyone at least a few dozen extra shots.

The group had settled on a plan of Jaune had made a plan. IT was crazy batshit insane, but it just might work.

They were going to launch a suicide attack at the ship. The plan was to literally crash their boat into the ship. Storm them from the opposite side deactivate the weapon steal their guns back and take over the ship before they were all killed.

Was it the best plan? Probably not. They needed to make sure that it worked there was not going to be a second chance here. The boat roared the engine, forcing it propelling it forward as it raced towards the other boat.

No doubt they had sonar of their own they knew they were coming, but Jaune was banking on them not expecting them to fucking ram them as a trump card.

"Ok! You all know the plan! Get in take out that damned weapon get our guns back, kill _every_ terrorist that gets in our way and get the hell out of there!" Jaune shouted as he stood on the interior of the boat. While last time they stood on the boat when you planned to literally crash your boat into the enemy, you wanted some metal to protect you just in case.

"Ok, Jaune! I am ready!"

Jaune despite himself stiffed a laugh Ruby looked so _awkward_ with her shotgun. The large thick black gun seemed hilariously out of place on her body. It took both of her hands to hold it, and it seemed to be weighing her down she tettered awkwardly with the weapon two long bandoliers of shells wrapped around her as-

"Here we go! T minus ten till impact!" One of the few surviving Initiation students there was always less of them surviving Jaune noted yelled as he gritted his teeth.

"Ok! Brace yourselves! This is it!" Jaune shouted as the students shouted.

"Seven! Six! Five!" The boat roared the engine howled a massive wave was crested the boat launched in the air and-

There was no crash, but the boat _jerked_ it froze mid-air Jaune gagged falling headfirst the entire crew spread falling over headfirst as the boat was _halted_.

"The fuck!?" Kage shouted the boat was hovering? In mid-air, a bright spotlight flashed down a massive glyph holding the craft in place.

"We got company!" Mika shouted as several bullheads surrounded them as the main offender, a massive silver bullhead that held them fast roared.

 _Attention pirates! This is Winter Schnee of the Atlas Military! You are under arrest!_

* * *

 **AN: Well! There it is! The pirate chapter is done! Winter is _back_ bet you didn't see her coming back and well the story goes on! Almost finished with the middle part after that? Well, it's going to get _rough_ in the good way! Ok! Untill next time! Brave Sir Robinson is next! And as always _omake..._**

* * *

 **Omake. Hero of Remnant part 2 part 18 No love lost.**

"Sir, would you like to have some food?" Ren asked Jaune said as he looked down to his las pistol. Jaune had not taken the last meeting well or to be honest, no one took the last meeting well. An Imperial Inquisitor, a faunus general and a sister of battle all walk into a room. It was the beginning of a bad joke and Jaune was by some massive amount of comic misfortune caught in the middle of it all.

Jaune groaned wanting to beat his own head into the wall if nothing else it would give him something to hit that was not protected by diplomatic immunity the fear of Oum himself or a wall of prom that would melt him down into sludge if he so much as breathed in her direction.

Who would have thought that Jaune's problems would stem from those that he considered friends, and how most of his life's issues were caused by his so-called allies.

Well Jaune for one, he hated people. Most people that is. Jaune had made maybe _one_ real friend in his entire life and that was wholly by accident. Jaune learned to be friendly with people but never to be friends.

When his job might entail him executing any of the men or now men and women under his command Jaune knew that to get to become friends with the trooper was a big mistake and a can of worms he never wanted in the first place.

"No thank you, Ren, I'm fine I just need some time to adjust to all of this. Gene stealers in the city you know?"

"Very well sir I will procure some more tea for you then."

"Thank you, Ren," Jaune said smiling one part happy that he had found a true friend another happy that his phlegmatic friend and left him taking most if not all of his pungent body odor with him.

Jaune had no idea why even after intense showering Ren was so... stewing in his own personal smell but Jaune put up with it One that was what friends do two?

Well, it was that or deal with the three _very_ angry women in his life who all wanted him in ways that were _less_ than professional. Two being Pyrran and Sieena who wanted him to share a bed with them and Yang who just wanted to drink and go out for some fun, kick back a beer or two and commit some casual murder on some poor unsuspecting heretic that is with her custom comb melta flamer. Or faunus really whatever came fire.

"I have to deal with them the spreading Gene stealers and still! Manage to save the say. A hero's work is never done." Jaune groaned as Ren appeared walking calmly back to Jaune and placing his tea with a slice of buttered bread before him.

"Your tea sir. With bread."

"Thanks' Ren I needed this _now_."


End file.
